


Stellar Ranger Dark Star Series Two:  Savage Stars

by GraciousVictory, RRHood



Series: Stellar Ranger Dark Star [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bisexual Character, Cute, Dark, Gay Male Character, Gen, Genderfluid Character, Lesbian Character, Magical Girls, Mind Control, Mind Rape, Trans Character, Underage Smoking, terminally ill character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-05-07 06:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 151,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5446682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraciousVictory/pseuds/GraciousVictory, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RRHood/pseuds/RRHood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's June's final year of Junior High, and she's ready for a relaxing year, now that last year's problems are a thing of the past.  However, when a powerful secret is revealed to her and the other Stellar Rangers, will they be able to deal with it, and the evil power plotting against them from behind the scenes?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode One:  A Day For Senine

Three days before the start of her Sophomore year of high school, Senine Nocturne woke up to the familiar feeling of everything hurting.

She turned over in bed, and immediately regretted it, letting out a loud hiss of pain, and curled up on herself. Her breath came in pained, shallow whimpers.

Senine slowly reached to her nightstand, and fumbled for her phone. The muscles in her arm groaned in protest, but she managed to pull the phone to the pillow, next to her head.

“D-dial Cassie.”

The phone rang until a very groggy voice answered it. “Hello?”

“I...” Senine took a sharp intake of breath. “I need...help. Please.”

Cassie suddenly sounded much more awake. “I will be right over.”

Senine stared at her phone even after it cut off, mostly because she did not dare move and further aggravate her wracked body. She lay there, unmoving, hesitant to even breathe, until she heard voices just outside her door. Cassie, Faye, and Leah, talking just below her range of hearing.

A few moments later, the door opened, letting light into the dark room. Senine’s eyes stung, and she immediately closed them, making a small groaning noise in the process. The door shut, and Senine felt someone sit on the edge of the bed.

Someone touched her arm, and Senine immediately felt better. She let out a long, shuddering breath, but kept her eyes closed. She felt a rush of relief, slowly pushing through her from her arm, up her shoulder, and then through the rest of her body.

 

“When did this start?” Cassie asked. Senine saw a green glow through her closed eyes. She let them open, but did not look at Cassie.

“I felt a little tired yesterday. It didn’t hurt until just before I called you.”

“This is worse than normal.” 

“No, really?” Senine allowed herself to relax slightly. 

“You were very badly hurt after the Puppetrix’s Despair form attacked you. The damage to your body, now, is on par with that.”

“So, you’re saying that, without you, I’d be dead by now. Great.”

Cassie put another hand on Senine. “I am saying that when you feel unusually tired, you should call me. I think you’re starting to get used to the pain, and are not noticing it as fast as you used to.”

Senine sighed. “Yeah. I guess. It’s just part of dying young, I guess.”

“...There may be a way. Perhaps...we could find one.”

“There isn’t.” Senine closed her eyes. “Either I don’t use my powers, and die faster, or use them too much, and die faster, or use them just enough, and half my age is already gone. And I’d already be bedridden, if it wasn’t for someone else’s magic. It’s getting worse. I’m going to eventually take more damage than you can heal. It’s going to build up, and up, and up, until I die. Nothing can change that. Ever.”

“There is magic that might--”

“Magic is KILLING me, Cassie.”

Cassie was silent for a moment. Senine felt her get off the bed. “You will be fine for at least a few days. However, today, I suggest bed rest. Your body is worn, even with my healing.”

“I know the drill. Thanks.” Senine rolled over onto her back. “What time is it, anyway?”

“Four in the morning. I’m going to be crashing on your couch, as per usual.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Senine repeated.

Cassie lingered for a moment, and then left Senine’s room. Senine stayed still, until the door closed, and then lifted her phone up. She saw, among other things, thirteen new messages from Jordy.

‘senine are you there’

‘senine pls respond’

‘its about hal’

‘i need to talk to you i cant deal w/ this’

‘please’

‘he keeps canceling on me and not returning my calls and texts’

‘and hes really distracted when were together’

‘he says nothings wrong’

‘i feel so pathetic’

‘but i think hes cheating’

‘am i pathetic and stupid’

‘it feels like i am like he can have his own life’

‘just call me when you get this okay’

Senine set the phone next to her. “Dial Jordy.”

The phone was picked up almost immediately. “Senine?”

“Yeah. Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No. I’ve been...crying a lot.”

Senine gestured in the air, and a pile of sheets and a comforter floated up from the floor. “Did anything else happen, or is this just your brain hating you.”

“...I asked him if he was cheating and he said no, but...”

“But you want me to ask him personally.” The pile dropped on Senine’s midsection.

“I’m pathetic.”

“Sweetie, before I took some painkillers, breathing hurt. You’re not pathetic.”

“That’s different. You’re sick.”

Senine pulled the covers over herself. “So are you.”

“That’s different.”

Senine curled up in bed. “He’s doing that dumb thing tomorrow, right?”

“The ‘re-pep your school’ thing, yeah.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s what I said, the dumb thing. I’ll go to it and talk to him.”

“Really?”

Senine nodded to the phone and closed her eyes. She gave a big yawn. “Yeah. I’ll rough him up and junk, get the scoop.”

“Thank you so much. I’m sorry I’m always asking for things like this.”

“Jordy, what’s the first thing I said when we met?”

“‘Don’t worry, little boy, I’ll save you.’”

“There was way more broken English in that, but yes. And I meant it. Now let me get some sleep so I can be in fine butt-kicking form for dealing with your boyfriend.”

“Thanks. Goodnight, Senine.”

“Night, Jordy.” The phone hung up, and Senine slowly drifted off to sleep, the covers and the familiar memory of pain accompanying her.

 

Senine woke up six hours later to a sore, cramped feeling over her whole body. She made a frustrated groan and slowly sat up. Luckily, it was just a dull soreness, not the ‘you-are-dying’ feeling she was used to.

She went into the bathroom that was connected to her room and got ready for the day. About an hour later, she came out in a black t-shirt with a white swirl on it, dark blue-and-black striped arm stockings, a short black skirt, and matching black-and-dark blue leggings.

As she was putting on her boots, she heard the unmistakable sounds of Cassie and Faye talking. She swore under her breath, and, once she was finished with her boots, she moved to her window. She slid it open, took out the screen, and looked out, down to the ground two stories under her, and slipped out of it. 

Senine drifted to the ground and landed gently on the well-maintained lawn below. She looked up and gave the window next to hers a smirk. “Sorry, Cassie, guess bedrest isn’t for me.” She then turned and hopped the fence, before starting towards the high school.

 

Re-Pep Your School was, in Senine’s estimation, more honestly called ‘we can’t afford to pay the janitor as much as we should’. She was greeted, upon reaching the school, to her fellow students--mostly Freshmen--picking trash out of the shrubs and hedges that surrounded Solar City High. She walked right past them, and into the school.

Hal was never really hard to find, and today was no exception. Senine glanced down the halls, saw a small group of students crowded around something and very much not re-pepping their school.

Senine approached the group and cleared her throat. The pack of students cleared for her, and revealed Hal and his dazzling smile and bright red hair.

“Senine! Hey! I didn’t expect you for being the re-pep type.” He looked at her and his smile got even brighter. Senine was pretty sure that half the crowd, boys and girls alike, swooned when they saw it. “You’re usually more of an anti-pep type.”

“I’m just a little ball of dark sunshine.” Senine pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. “I need a word.”

“Of course!” He turned to the group. “Sorry, guys, friendship calls, and you’d better get back to work, before Mr. Carrington sees you slacking.”

Senine lead him over to the far wall, by some lockers. His smile did not dim. “So, what’s up?”

“Jordy’s been worried about something, and he apparently talked to you last night about it.” Senine watched his expression carefully as she said this.

Hal rolled his eyes. “Oh, that. Look, I’m not cheating on Jordy--I never have cheated on Jordy. I love him, and I’m happy with him.”

Senine narrowed her eyes. “You lying son of a bitch.”

Hal looked genuinely confused. “I’m not lying. I’ve never cheated on Jordy.”

“After EVERYTHING that’s happened to him.” Senine stepped forward and poked him in the chest. “You’re going to sit there and lie to me like that? You’re---” Her head swam, and she stumbled back. 

Hal stepped forward to steady her, but she brushed him away. “You’re a terrible goddamn liar. Y-you’re...you’re...”

The school spun around her, and Senine’s world went dark.

 

Senine woke for the third time that day, this time to a pair of disapproving yellow eyes.

“You were supposed to be in bed.” Cassie glared down at Senine from her position beside Senine’s bed, within the Tower’s infirmary.

“I had things to do.” Senine broke eye contact. “What happened?”

“You have to ask?” Cassie scoffed. “You over-exerted yourself and passed out. Hal called an ambulance. Mr. Vember managed to get you into his care, citing a condition you have as the reason. I healed you. Again.”

“...Whatever. I’m fine, right?” Senine started to get up, but Cassie pushed her back down.

“No, you aren’t. For the rest of the day, you need to be wheeled around.” Cassie put her hands on her hips. “No exertion until school starts. You need to get lots of bedrest and three square meals, as well as minor power use regularly throughout the day.”

“I hate the wheelchair.” Senine pouted. “It’s humiliating.”

“If you had stayed in bed, you would not need it.” Cassie turned towards the door. “Stay in bed for now, and maybe you’ll be well enough to walk around when school starts.”

“...do you have my phone? I have to talk to Jordy.”

“Will you get worked up while you do so?” Cassie eyed her skeptically.

“...Hal’s cheating on him.” Senine looked to the side. “He’s denying it, but I can tell he’s lying.”

Cassie sat on the edge of the bed. “How can you tell?”

“I’ve known him for as long as I’ve lived here. He’s a bad liar.”

“Could Jordy be mistaken?” Some of the edge was gone from Cassie’s voice. “He’s recovering from a damaged star heart, after all. You’re also rather protective of him.”

“Hal’s lying.” Senine insisted. “Could you tell when Auggie’s lying to you?”

“Of course.” Cassie gave that a second thought. “Unless I’m playing a game with her, then she becomes an unreadible, impassable obstacle of deceit.”

“I can tell when Hal’s lying to me.” Senine frowned. “He’s hiding something, and even if I’m not completely right, I’m not completely wrong, either. He’s not being faithful.”

Cassie reached onto the night stand and handed Senine her phone. “You shouldn’t leave here. Don’t get too worked up. Also, I am going to stay here and make sure that you do not over-exert yourself, and also, keep Faye from coming in and jostling you with too many aggressive hugs.”

Senine shot her a dirty look. “I’m not a child.”

“Until you can move on your own, Senine Nocturne, you are essentially my child, and you will do as you are told.”

“Sigh. Yes, Mom.” Senine started the process of sending messages to Jordy.

 

A few hours later, Senine lay back in bed, a hand over her face. “I feel worse than I have all day.”

Cassie patted her arm. “Do you want a sucker? You’ve been a very good patient.”

Senine pulled her hand down to glare at her. Cassie pulled her hand away. “Fine, no grape suckers for you.”

“Wait, whoa whoa whoa, it’s grape? Gimme.” Senine made a grabbing hand motion. Cassie rolled her eyes and gave Senine the sucker.

“Thanks Doctor Schumacher.” Senine popped it in her mouth and laid back. 

“So....it’s not my place, but I take it he did not take it very well.”

Senine groaned and covered her face again. “He’s...basically flipping back and forth about it. Constantly. ‘Oh I should trust him’ and then’oh but I should take your word for it what should I do’, and when I tell him to dump him, he’s all ‘oh no Senine that’s a bit sudden maybe he’ll come clean’ and then ‘oh but maybe I should’ followed by ‘I’m so weak and pathetic’ and here I am, literally recovering from my whole body going through debilitating gravitational fluctuations, kicking myself for telling him to trust Hal last year, and really not wanting to tell my best friend, who literally had his soul torn from his body a year ago, to shut up and let me suffer in peace.”

“Do you want me to get Octavian?”

She sighed. “No. Octy would do some even more dramatic stuff at Hal and probably make things worse.”

Cassie gave her a questioning look. “Are Octavian and Jordy particularly close?”

“Well,” Senine said as she crunched down on her sucker. “They did make out once.”

Cassie immediately sputtered. “Wh-wh-what? They?!” She blushed. “Goodness.”

Senine grinned at her. “Truth or dare is a harsh mistress. Harsh, but fair.”

Cassie’s face was bright red. “That’s--that’s no doubt before we were together.”

The older girl stuck out her tongue. “No doubt. It was actually right before that. Octy, Jordy, Hal and I had a sleepover--which, by the way, they must parent differently in space because wow. Hal dared them to make out.”

Cassie was listening with rapt attention. “Did...did anything else...?”

Senine laughed. “Sorry, not really. Vember said nothing TOO crazy, and I’ll abide by his rules while he’s, you know, keeping me from being a sad little foreign girl on the streets.” Her laugh faded, and she looked at the ceiling. “That’s actually the night I decided that I was going to break up with Octy.”

“...because he kissed someone else? That’s fairly hypocritical.”

“No, smartass.” Senine’s eyes stayed up, away from Cassie. “He’s so vibrant and alive. He wants life and to live and be happy. It’s nice to be around, but...I can’t. Not for long. I need someone...someone who knows what it’s like. Someone who doesn’t keep thinking that there’s going to be some big dramatic sweep and bring me back with a dashing smile. It doesn’t work like that. Eventually, I was going to scream awful things at him. I was going to get frustrated and make him feel awful, and I didn’t want to do that. Not to my friend.”

Cassie’s expression softened. “Senine...”

“Plus, you’ve seen Anita Amano, right?” Senine turned to Cassie and grinned.

“And suddenly, my sympathy has eroded.” Her eyes narrowed. “Just as planned, I imagine.”

“I hate sympathy. It’s just a way to make me feel worse for dying.” Senine closed her eyes. “I feel pathetic. I slept all day, but I just want to fall asleep, again. I don’t even think I ate anything that wasn’t a--”

Cassie slipped off the bed and knelt down. She picked up a tupperware container and a thermos, handing both to Senine. “If you had slipped out of the house to eat I may have been more lenient on you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She opened the container, and pulled half a sandwich out of it, eagerly biting into it. She opened the thermos, and downed a long swig of cold water.

“Thanks.”

“I know you like ham, and also, that you never eat.”

Senine managed to finish the sandwich, and then focused on the water. “I’m probably going to crash here, tonight. Is that okay, Doc?”

“Yes. I will be in the bed next to you.”

Senine pouted. “But poor Octy! He’ll be so alone!”

“I am sure my beloved will manage.” Cassie sat in the bed. “I am not going to allow you to break yourself for a third time, today.”

“Ugh, fine.” Senine closed her eyes. “But no promises on the not breaking myself. A girl must have a hobby.”

She felt exhausted, physically and emotionally. School was now only two days away.

She had no idea how she was going to deal with any of this.

Confused, aching, and exhausted, Senine fell into a troubled sleep, and her day ended.

 

***

 

Prince Halloway Decembren, dressed in his full red armor, walked through the white, ceramic corridors of his ship, each decorated in red and silver banners, emblazoned with symbols of flame. He moved to a chamber in particular and knocked on the door. It slid open.

Inside was a room decorated in silver and black, with one wall devoted entirely to mirrors, dozens of them of various sizes and shapes. It had an open door on the other end, leading into a bathroom that Lanessa de Vran Sie stepped out of, in a nightgown, her voluminous black hair clinging to her back from moisture.

“My love!” Lanessa clapped her hands together. “What luck, I was just about to ask if you wished to join me in bed.”

“I’m...a bit troubled, love.” He sighed and sat on her bed. “Senine suspects us. Not our purpose, but our relationship. She, and Jordy, both suspect I am not being faithful.”

Lanessa laughed. “My dear, you aren’t being faithful. You’re engaged to Princess Shivra. I am your beloved. You are dating Jordy.”

“My engagement to Princess Shivra means little.” Hal sighed. “A political alliance is useless without a nation by which to use it. And you and I, well, that’s a matter of love.”

“And Jordy?” Lanessa brushed her hand against his cheek.

Hal blushed, and gave Lanessa a sheepish look. “Jordy doesn’t matter as much as our quest. I’m worried that Senine will dig deeper, and find out who we really are.”

“Were you not, my lord, planning on revealing yourself to them in the first place?” Her eyes sparkled. “Would there not be an advantage, then, to revealing yourself now?”

“But...” He sighed. “Even though our intentions are pure, I don’t want to place all of our cards on the table so readily.”

“Would it make it easier, my prince, if I were to remain anonymous?” She smiled warmly at him.

“It would, but...would that be a burden for you, too? You’ve gotten so close to so many of them.”

Lanessa put on her best sad smile. “I can be their friend, still, without showing my true self, beloved.”

He smiled back at her. “You’re too good, my lady.”

“Perhaps I have simply had a good example.” She gave him a small kiss.

“I am still worried about Senine, though. She’s...pretty angry at me.”

“I can see why, beloved. You’re both very similar.” Lanessa sat in his lap, seemingly impervious to the discomfort of sitting on plate armor.

“...We are?”

She nodded. “You have both been given a disastrous lot, by birth, and you are both trying to accomplish the best you can with what you have given. Were it not for my help....”

“...My star would be killing me.” He sighed. “Like hers is killing her. Very well, I’ll arrange a meeting with them, soon. I just wish there was a way they could know I’m on their side.”

“Oh, my love,” Lanessa grinned as she once again ran her hand along his cheek. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”


	2. Episode Two:  Appearances

June sat at the kitchen table with a big bowl of double chocolate cereal. She was in her brand new apartment--which was to say, one of the slightly larger apartments in the same building she had been in before. She was on her second bowl, and was contemplating a third when Avril, her new roommate, entered the room.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” She said and sat at the table.

“....I’ve been here the whole time, it’t not like this place is THAT big.” June looked up at Avril. “What’s up?”

She patted her shaggy hair with disdain. “Haircut. Do you want to go get one, today?”

“Sure! Did your paycheck come in?” June re-filled her cereal. 

“Yes. Maybe now all those middle-aged men leering at me will be worth it.”

“Ugh. You would think the fact you’re fifteen would deter them.”

Avril nodded. “And the rings on their fingers, as well. And yet, the skirt I’m required to wear remains a battlefield.”

“Do you think they’d stop harassing you if you shaved your head?”

It was intended as a joke, but Avril seemed to give it genuine consideration. “It might slow it. I doubt my boss would approve, but I also doubt she would fire me for it. Plus, I’m tired of hair. It may be better to buzz all this off and start over.”

“I was thinking about cutting mine down to my shoulders.” June pulled it over her shoulder. “I’ve been growing it since I was little, but it’s kind of heavy and inconvenient when fighting.”

“You look good with long hair.” Avril stood up. “When will you be ready to go?”

“Just let me shovel this into my mouth,” June said, patting the bowl. “And I’ll be set.”

“After you get dressed.” 

June looked down at her skull-print pajamas. “Oh. Right. After that.”

“Can Julius give us a ride?” Avril glanced around. “I have not seen him much, lately.”

“No, sorry. This bus is around, though.” She shoveled more into cereal into her mouth, finishing the bowl in record time. “He’s busy with his summer job, community college prep, and his grown-up relationship. He actually had to leave right before you got in.”

Avril nodded. “The bus it will have to be, then.”

June finished her cereal for the third time, got dressed, and came out of her new room, braiding her hair. “I’m going to miss it. Maybe I’ll just get it trimmed?”

“It’s your call.” Avril shrugged. “I think you would look good either way.”

“Do you think Faye would like it short?”

“I think Faye will like it as long as it’s your hair.”

“Oh.” June blushed slightly. “Yeah, that’s...that’s probably correct. Anyway, let’s go!”

 

One bus ride later, and a small trip through the mall after that, June and Avril were sitting in adjacent chairs in the hair salon. June had her sunglasses on, and even then, was cringing from the bright lights. 

“Hey, sweetie!” The bubbly hairdresser assigned to her said to Avril. “How much am I taking off?”

“Shave it all off.”

“I...all of it?”

Avril nodded. The hairdresser shrugged, and got to it.

“Hey, hon.” June’s hairdresser said. “How much did you want off?”

“Oh, uh...just below the nape of my neck?”

“Are you sure? That’s a lot of hair.” She said with a smile. “There’s no going back after I take it off.”

“Yeah! I’ll miss it, but it’s been getting in the way a lot, lately.” June smiled at her. “Plus, it’s really heavy.”

“It’s lovely, and so full.” She gave a whistle of approval. “Well, let’s get to making you look fabulous with short hair.”

June nodded. “Right! It’s pretty wavy when it’s short, just a warning.”

“I’ll take that to heart, sweetie.”

Beside them, June heard a set of buzz clippers start. Avril’s hairdresser put them close to her sea-green hair and stopped. “Are you sure, sweetie? It’s pretty tangled, but we can probably make something work.”

“Shave it all off.” Avril said, tone firm and mouth set in a frown. “I’ll just start over again.”

“Okay, you’re the boss.”

“...Don’t shave all mine off.” June said to her hairdresser.

“Oh, honey, I wouldn’t dream of it.”

 

***

 

Advisor Grim was a tall, lean figure, wearing a dark robe that covered all of his being, including the large, voluminous hood that covered his face. A single red, glowing eye shown out from it, though it was currently watching the floor as he knelt in front of Prince Decembren’s throne.

“My prinssssse.” He said in a hissing voice. “I musssst protesssst. Thissss plan issss foolish. I can arrange a meeting with the local leader of the Sssstellar Rangersss. That would be FAR more practical.”

The throne was tall, and made of silver and red stone. The Prince sat in it, and Lanessa sat on the arm of the throne. “Grim. You faithfully served my father, and have faithfully served me. You have followed me where few others have. I have always appreciated your loyalty.”

“Thank you, my prinssse.”

“However.” Hal stood. “This is a plan of utmost importance. We need to show that we’re on their side--after all, we have been lying to them.”

“Thisss plan isss even more liesss, my prinsse.”

“It’s your prince’s plan.” Lanessa said idly. “You would do well to listen to it.”

“Mayhap, my lady, it isss not ssssolely his plan.”

“That’s enough, Grim.” Halloway Decembren frowned. “This way, they’ll know for sure that we’re on their side. Once I’ve made my introductions, I will need you to do as you said, and speak to their leader for a formal meeting.”

“....Yesss, my prinsssse. Jusssst give the word, and I will obey it.”

Lanessa was smirking down at him. When Prince Decembren started to turn towards her, the smirk turned into a pleasant smile.

“Are they ready, my love?”

Lanessa made a distasteful face. “Yes, I suppose, though dealing with them is rather unpleasant.”

The prince gave her a fond smile. “You shoulder the responsibility well, my beloved.” He stood, then. “I should prepare. Wish me luck.” He gave a warm smile to both of them, and then vanished in a flash of fire.

Lanessa and Advisor Grim were now alone in the throne room.

“At your leave, my lady.” Grim said, venom dripping from his words.

“You may leave, servant.” Lanessa’s cruel smirk returned. “I have tasks of my own to complete.”

“...” He stood, and started to walk away. “You may have poisssoned the willsssss, mindsssss, and heartsssss of everyone elssse. You will never drive me away from the prinssse.”

Lanessa stood, and as she did, she was Lynneth Ursula Card once more. “I don’t have a single idea of what you could be talking about, Grim.” She snapped her fingers, and vanished in a dark blue flash.

Advisor Grim looked down at the floor, single eye closed. “One day, Lady Lanesssssa. One day, my masster will know you asss I do. If it takesss my lasssst breath to do it, he will know, even if I do not live to sssssee it.”

 

***

 

Avril stepped over the sea of white now on the floor, the result of constant snipping of June’s hair which, by Avril’s estimation, still had a while to go before it was finished. She walked to the counter and paid for her haircut--which, as she had asked for, was a complete buzzing, so that only a thin layer of sea green fuzz remained. She handed her stylist a sizable tip, and then stepped outside the shop while she waited for June’s forest of hair to be felled.

“Oh, hey, nice hair! Well, nice lack of it, anyway.”

Avril blinked, and turned towards the source of the voice. She saw a beautiful girl, about her age, in a black t-shirt and a long, dark-blue skirt. She felt her heart skip a bit, and she must have been gaping, but the other girl did not respond if that was so. She had long, voluminous black hair and bright blue eyes.

“Oh, hey! I know you! You work at Squashly’s Diner, right?” She smiled.

Avril nodded dumbly.

“Lynneth,” She extended a hand. 

Avril stared at the hand, and then took it. “Avril.”

Lynneth’s eyes flashed, and Avril’s went blank. “This is just some groundwork. You will re-enter this state when I snap my fingers. You’re free again, now.”  
Avril’s eyes returned to normal. She had the distinct feeling that she had just spaced out while talking to the pretty girl.

“Well, Avril, are you going to school around here? I’m going to be starting my first year at Solar City High, and I’ve lived here all my life, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around!”

“I am...” Avril paused, and took a moment to get her thoughts together. “I just moved here. I’ll also be starting my first year at Solar City High.”

“Awesome! Just find me if anyone gives you trouble there, okay?” Lynneth winked at her. Avril felt light-headed. “I might be a Freshman, but I know everybody, and I’ll make sure they take it easy on you.” She turned to leave, and then turned back to Avril. “Oh, right, I’m about to have lunch with my friend Bernadette. Do you want to come?”

“I. No, I’m here with my friend.”

“Oh, who?” Lynneth glanced inside. “Oh, is it June? Good choice! She’s dating a really good friend of mine who’s a total sweety, and she seems to make her really happy. Anyway, I hope I see you at school the day after tomorrow!”

She turned, and waved over her shoulder with a dazzling smile. Avril waved dumbly at her as she left, and found herself sighing, a dreamy smile crossing her face.

“Okay, sorry.” Came June’s voice behind her. Avril turned.

June’s hair was very short, only slightly longer than the nape of her neck. Her hair was extremely wavy without its full weight pulling it down. “How does it look?”

Avril gave her a nod of approval. “You wear it very well.”

“Thanks! I...” June suddenly stopped and put her hand in her purse. “...think something’s here.”

Avril’s hand went into the pocket of her jeans at that. “What is it?”

“I don’t know. Hollow Hearts felt...bad. Like there was a void in them. The Puppetrix felt....like wrong. Wrongness. It’s hard to explain. This...” June removed her badge. “This feels hot. Not like, heat but like....pain-heat. Like looking into the sun.”

“So, you don’t sense things, unless they are bad, correct?”

“So far.”

Avril nodded. “I am ready, then.”

June slipped her badge on, as did Avril. People immediately started to avoid the area, and before long, there were only a few sparse people in the Mall corridor outside the salon.

“Is this it?” Came a voice that came from above them. Alarmed, both June and Avril looked up, and saw five figures, sitting on the edge of a ledge of one of the faux storefronts of the mall.

The source of the voice was a tall, lean figure, covered in golden brown fur and with long, pointed ears. She wore some form of lightweight armor, emblazoned with a symbol that was half a claw, half a fiery, blazing sun.

“My sources indicate,” Said the next figure in a feminine monotone. She was a being crafted entirely of metal and ceramic, and shaped roughly like an egg. It had a black band around its apex. on which was a single, burning yellow eye. “That they are not the entirety of the team. The pale one is the one who did the deathblow, however.”

“Ha!” Said the third. This was a shorter creature, wearing similar armor to the first figure. It had a short, pointed snout with a mouth full of wide, flat teeth and arms about as long as its entire body. Its skin was hairless and hard-plated. “So that’s where the Penumbra’s hiding?”

“Hmph!” The fourth turned around, flaring his cape behind him in the process. He wore much the same armor, though his had a long, aforementioned cape. He had a slightly canine face, with a long, thing snout and three pairs of pointed, canine ears. “Are we supposed to be impressed?”

The fifth figure gave June some pause. Aside from the fact that her skin was sky-blue, and her eyes glittered black rather than pink, and the fact that her hair was in ten tails rather than eight, and that her dress was golden and armored, with the same claw-sun symbol, she looked exactly like Stellar Sword Lada. She did not speak, she only gave her a polite smile and a curtsey.

“I’m not here to impress anyone. I wanted a haircut.” June stepped forward. “If you’re here because of Stellos, yes. I’m the one who beat him for good.”

“It does look good on you.” The fifth one said.

“Thanks. What do you want?”

The first figure narrowed her eyes. “I am Layon, Supreme General of the Savage Star Army. This is Shryk, Special Officer, Moal, General First Class, Jikal, General Second Class, and Wreqluze, General Third Class.”

“Savage...wait.” June’s eyes widened. “The same group that attacked Stellos’s home planet and killed Kilaua?”

Moal and Jikal snickered at that. Layon nodded.

“Yes. That was our part. We are mercenaries. We fight for the highest bidder.”

“And you burn your star hearts higher than they’re meant to burn to do it.” June said, eyes wide. “That’s the hot feeling coming off of you.”

“I don’t need an aura for a hot feeling.” Jikal said, sounding rather offended. “Primitive apes don’t know beauty when you see it.”

“That’s nice. Why are you here?” June repeated. Avril summoned her sword, but did not hold it high.

“We are here,” Layon began, “to estimate the mettle of the one who defeated the one who’s been hounding us for so long.”

“I don’t want to fight.” June glanced at Avril, who nodded. “We just wanted a nice, relaxing day before school starts.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Shryk said, burning yellow eye swiveling to Layon. “They are Junior Rangers. They are still young.”

“The barbaric practice of letting children do one’s battle for them.” Layon narrowed her eyes. “The Stellar Rangers truly are monsters.”

Avril narrowed her eyes right back. “Aren’t you here to pick a fight with a child, then? What does that make you?”

Moal laughed. “Touche! But our monstrousness isn’t in question. We don’t make children fight, and pretend to be righteous! We’re monsters for hire, and we sold our souls a long time ago.”

“We chose our paths.” Layon said, not having taken her eyes off of the two below. “You have as well. You killed a powerful and influential creature, and now you must deal with the fallout of it. Jikal, I believe you’re first.”

“Most likely the last.” Jikal turned around, his cape flaring behind him. “Now, Penumbra, let’s see...” He pointed dramatically at her. “Your true power!”

June closed her eyes. When she opened them, one was a white ring in a sea of black, and the other a ring of black in a sea of white. White and black flame whirled around her, and when it cleared, her hair was long once again, and in a pair of long pigtails. Half of her hair was black, and half white. She had a long coat, half black and half white, with a similarly half-white half-black sunburst on the back. Underneath, she had a sleeveless white top, which, like her jacket, was perfectly tailored for her. She also wore a black, pleated skirt, a pair of black and white striped leggings, and one black and one white boot. In her hands has the Penumbra, a black and white guitar whose tuning keys were like blades, and crackled with energy even when not in use.

“An...instrument?” Layon’s eyes widened. “Curious.”

“On this planet,” Wreqluze floated forward, fangs prominent in her smile, “they say that music soothes savage beasts.”

Jikal leapt to the ground, and manifested a rapier with a serrated edge and a barbed point. “Well, then, let’s see how they do with a real Savage Beast.”

Avril brought her sword back, and then a burst of water from behind shot her forward. Jikal brought up his sword to block, but the force of the ensuing swipe from the Wave Cutlass was enough to knock him back.

“Oh, a swordswoman.” Jikal grinned. “And a water user! I’m not certain I’ve heard of you.”

“She has not yet been registered.” Shryk replied. “But I doubt she will be a problem.”

“As do I, but still...such sword-work. Appalling, but there is promise of something beauti--” Jikal was interrupted by a heavy swipe from the sword again, which he blocked a bit more easily, this time. “--ful. However, as much as I admire your eagerness to fight, you aren’t my prey, so....” Jikal flashed, and suddenly there were two of him. “I will leave this copy to deal with you while I fight your friend.”

The first Jikal rushed past Avril, and when she tried to follow, the second one jabbed his sword at her. She blocked it, and back away, sword posed for the defensive.

Jikal flashed again in his rush towards June. June, in response, played a few chords on her guitar. As soon as the Savage Star arrived, the two fighting June doubled once again, and all four began to slash and stab at the shield that had formed around her.

“Ha! You may have a shell, but nothing is impenetrable to beautiful swordwork!”

June was about to play a different chord and send Jikal flying, when a red blur, followed by a flash of flame, knocked every Jikal away.

The Jikals stumbled back, eyes wide as they regarded the newcomer, a figure in red and silver armor, with a face-concealing helmet, stepped in front of June, with a very large, straight-edged sword in one hand.

“Ah! A new challenger. Well, then, let’s see how lovely you use that sword.” Three Jikals rushed the armored figure. He moved with practiced precision, slashing a powerful one-handed swipe at one of the Jikals, the blade cleaving through the rapier and into the copy, causing it to vanish in a flash of light. The second Jikal thrust its blade at him, and was met by a ray of burning heat from the warrior’s free hand, scorching it and also making it disappear in a flash. The third Jikal attempted to stab him in the back, but he pivoted with a heavy slash, knocking the copy into a nearby wall and causing it to vanish as well.

The copy fighting Avril was distracted by this, and was hit by a strong wave, knocking it away. The original Jikal looked over to it, eyes wide, and then back at the newcomer, who had his sword pointed at the Savage Star.

“Hmph. I suppose I should take this seriously.” Jikal got a wicked look in his eyes. He started to glow, and June could feel the false heat around him intensifying.

“Jikal.” Layon said from above. “Stand down. This is an unknown quantity. We can return later.”

Jikal bared his fangs. “But, Supreme General!”

“Later.” Layon said with a low snarl. Jikal’s eyes immediately widened, and his ears lowered. He leapt back up to the others, keeping his posture low and subservient. Layon’s red eyes were on June. “Shryk. Take us back.”

“By your command.” Shryk said. The group then vanished in a shower of shimmering particles.

June dropped the shield. Avril stepped in next to her, sword still at the ready and eyes on the newcomer. 

“Thanks for the save, but...who are you?” June asked, fingers still on her strings and frets.

The newcomer took off his helmet, and June saw a familiar, freckled, handsome face. “Hey, June!” Hal said, sheepishly ruffling his hair. “Good to see you’re okay!”

June’s jaw dropped. Avril gave her a questioning look. “Do you know this man?”

“He’s...sorry, he’s one of Senine’s friends.”

“And he’s never shown any sign of having a Power Star before.”

“Nope.”

“Yeah, hey, listen.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “I’ll explain later, at your Tower. You might want to make sure everyone’s there. Even if Senine’s going to yell at me. Again.”

“Yeah but you see--”

June was cut off by Hal vanishing in a flash of flame, leaving scorched tile underneath him.

“...Man.” June looked at the ground as she dismissed her Penumbra and changed back to normal. “I wish I could teleport.”

Avril banished her sword. “It does seem very useful. Perhaps Mr. Vember could teach us the method. Oh.” She looked at June, now. “Hm.”

“What? What is it?” She glanced around. “Did those Savage Star guys come back?”

“No, but your hair did.”

June turned, and pulled her hair over her shoulder. It was, if anything, even longer than it had been before she had had it cut.

“Oh son of a bitch.”

 

*****

 

The Savage Stars’ Officer Lounge was well decorated in all manner finery--but mostly weapons. Guns, swords, polearms, bows, maces--weapons with elegant, swooping designs, weapons made of bones, weapons with crude, jagged designs, weapons made of space-age metals, and weapons made of rocks and sticks.

The Five Generals of the Savage Stars sat in this lounge. Layon was at the bar, though she was not drinking anything. Shryk hovered next to her, and Moal was across the bar, helping himself to a keg of some bubbling, purple liquor. Wreqluze sat in a large, ostentatious chair that was far too large for her, drinking a large cup of fruit pulp and blood with a wide straw. Jakil was in a wooden chair, polishing his sword.

Not a single one of them was paying any attention, nor making any move to sit on, a large, overly stuffed, ostentatious loveseat, covered in pillows, that sat in the back of the room.

The door to the room chimed, and then opened. Inside stepped Prince Halloway Decembren, sans his helmet. Layon glanced up at him, and Jakil immediately started grumbling under his breath.

“Excellent work, all of you.” Prince Decembren said with a big, happy smile. “Each of you played your part admirably. You’ll find everything I owe you, plus a bonus, in your account.”

Layon glanced at Shryk.

“It is all there, Layon.”

Layon turned back to the Prince, and game him a nod. “You have kept your word. We will remember this. Do you need anything else from us, Prince Decembren?”

“No, that will be all. You’re free to go on your way. I doubt I’ll need you again, while I’m here.” The Prince turned away, then, and left the room, the door sliding shut behind him.

Layon, and the other Savage Star Generals, immediately turned to the loveseat. There was a figure lounging on it, reclining across its entire length.

“Our new orders, my Lady?” Layon asked.

Lanessa de Vran Sie smiled idly and stretched out, allowing one arm to dangle from the love seat, and her legs to gently kick from where they rested across the arm of the chair. “Stay close, my dear, sweet Layon. I have something of a feeling that my prince will need your services earlier than he thinks.”

 


	3. Episode Three:  The Crimson Knight of Bellasar

Senine was pacing in the meeting room when June and Avril arrived in it, with Cassie and Faye next to her. Cassie looked like she was trying to guide Senine to a seat, but was continually brushed off by the older girl. Faye was hovering around both of them like a worried mother duck.

When Senine saw June, she immediately walked over to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Avril protected me.”

Avril shrugged. Faye immediately hugged her, which caused her stoic exterior to crumble in a mess of blushing confusion.

“And you’re sure it was Hal?” Senine said, hand now on June’s shoulder. Faye migrated to hugging June.

June also blushed. “Y-yeah, I’m positive. He said he was worried you were going to yell at him.”

“I’m going to do a lot more than yelling.” She growled. Cassie patted her on the arm.

“You’re going to sit down and rest.”

Senine glared at her, but did as she said, moving to the table and sitting on the edge of it. Cassie sat next to her and put her hand on her shoulder. June saw a green glow under her hand.

Faye nuzzled into June’s back. “Did the Savage Star guys get in the way of your haircut?”

“Sort of? Going into Penumbra form made it grow out, again.”

The door to the meeting room opened, and June immediately heard shouting. Janice entered the room with her hands over her ears, along with Octavian giving everyone a winning--and slightly apologetic--smile.

Auggie and Amber came in after that. Auggie made a frustrated noise. “This conversation is done! You can’t just take apart my dad’s car! End of discussion!”

“For, like, the last time, I was...Ugh! Nevermind!” Amber sat in a chair, and Auggie went out of her way to sit in a chair across the room.

“June, Avril!” Octy said with a bow. “Lovely to see that you’re both fine after your melee! As I understand it, my dear friend has proven both that he’s an adept fighter and a friend and also that he is a cad I may need to punch.”

“Do it.” Senine said. “I’m too sick to punch him.”

“Anything for a dear friend and a lovely lady.” Octavian gave a deep bow. Senine rolled her eyes. Octy moved over to her and Cassie and took Cassie’s free hand. She leaned into him.

“So, refresher for the new girl.” Janice said, and then added, “Sorry, new girls.”

Avril, who had found a corner away from everyone else, shrugged.

“He’s my best friend’s lousy cheating boyfriend. Until now, I had no idea he had a power star and a fetish for dressing in knight armor.” Senine said, and then shuddered. Cassie’s hand glowed brighter.

“It goes farther than that, I’m afraid.” Mr. Vember said upon entering the room. “‘Hal’ appears to be the alias of Prince Halloway Decembren of the Bellasari Kingdom. It’s an ancient civilization consisting largely of humans that were spirited into space, thousands of years ago, by the a shadowy group whose name has been lost to time.”

“Like, why?” Amber asked, trying very hard to pretend she was not looking at Auggie.

“The common theory, Ms. Septus, is that they thought we were primitive and expendable peoples they could train to watch over a Star Heart and its corresponding star as it went supernova.”

Senine’s attention immediately snapped to Mr. Vember. 

“From what I have been able to tell, they’ve used some ritual given to them by their malefactor slash benefactors ever since then--by this method the Star Heart for Bellasar, the Red Giant their solar system-wide kingdom surrounds, has been passed down among the heirs of the royal family from generation to generation for those same thousands of years. From what I have heard, it is expected that Bellasar could go nova at any moment.” Mr. Vember stood at the head of the table. “In fact, as far as I was aware, Bellasar has been in the process of evacuation for the past fifty years.”

“So, wait.” June frowned. “His kingdom is in crisis, his Star Heart is tied to a star that’s about to explode--”

“And become a black hole or a neutron star.” Senine said softly. She was shaking, again, but not because of the pain.

“--why’s he here?” June finished.

“Yeah, Junie’s got a point.” Auggie said, also pretending to not be looking at Amber. “Shouldn’t he be doing kingy things? And preparing for....whatever even happens to someone when their star dies?”

“If they’re lucky. They die.” Senine was looking at the ground. “Most of them are. Surviving it means being like this. Me. But worse. Faster. If Bellasar becomes a neutron star, he’ll have it a bit easier. But if it becomes a black hole, he’ll probably die of radiation poisoning, or crush himself to death, or however his star’ll be tainted by it.”

Mr, Vember looked at his adopted daughter and sighed. “That is, sadly, correct.”

“...So, again.” June said, trying to hold back the sadness welling up behind her words. “Why’s he on Earth, pretending to be a high school student?”

“I’m afraid any answers will wait for him, Miss Hespia.”

The Rangers sat in silence for a bit, before a chime sounded in the waiting room. The door opened, and in stepped Hal, dressed in full armor.

“Woah.” Auggie’s eyes widened. “That is a hot look for you, Hal.”

“Oh my GOD you! You!” Amber made frustrated noises. Faye moved over to her and gently patted her on the shoulder. Amber mumbled something about both puns and flirting in front of her.

“Thanks! Hey, guys.” Hal gave them a sheepish grin. “I guess I have some explaining to...”

Octavian walked up to Hal. He removed a white glove from his pocket, and smacked Hal across the face with it. He then returned to his spot next to Cassie and Senine, who gave him a nod of approval.

“...do. I probably deserved whatever that was. Anyway! As Sir Vember probably told you, I’m the Prince of Bellasar, and the last of the Bellasari Crimson Knights. And, you’re probably wondering why I’m here, pretending to be a high school student, when I should be off doing princely things elsewhere.” He smiled brightly, and June blush showed that she was reminded once again about how handsome he looked. “I need your help, specifically--I need June’s help.”

June blinked. “My help with what?”

“My kingdom is...dying. The star, my star, is in danger of going nova.” Hal looked at the window in the room, out into the blue sky beyond. “My father did everything he could to increase the longevity of the star, and I’ve taken over his postition--but no matter what we do, nothing lasts. It’s like the star’s resisting our efforts, almost--things that should have bought as centuries, like energy donation, heavy element extraction, hydrogen feeding--it’s bought us decades at most. The system is empty, and my people are scattered to the stars. Out of everyone, only myself, my advisor, and my beloved remain.”

Senine’s hands were balled into fists.

“Bellasar will die in only a few scant years. Because of our meddling, the process of the nova’s going to be greatly accelerated--the supernova will take only a few years to complete. I probably won’t survive it, and, more importantly, neither will my kingdom.” He looked over to June, again. “We need much more energy than I have access to in order to restore my star and save my kingdom.”

June’s stomach sunk. “...You want the Penumbra. You want to use it to revive your star.”

“Yes! Yes, that’s what I want. I want your help and use the energy from the Penumbra to keep my star alive for at least another few centuries.” Hal beamed at her.

“So, wait, like, sorry.” Amber said, holding up her hand. “I’m, like, still confused about the pretending to be a high schooler thing?”

“I didn’t know the Penumbra was what I was looking for.” Hal shrugged. “I’m actually following a prophecy from a soothsayer, that told me that the power I’d be looking for to heal my star was going to be here. I’ve been hiding in order to better see if I could find this power without any rivals finding out.”

“But, like, Stellos almost grabbed June? Like, his Puppetrix thing almost worked? Then you would’ve been screwed?”

“I...” Hal frowned. “I was unfortunately unable to interfere for political reasons.”

Mr. Vember interrupted. “Excuse me, Sir Decembren, but what prophecy, exactly, from which soothsayer?”

“A reliable one. Regardless, I’m here to save my star, and my kingdom. Will you help?” His frown faded into a bright, expectant smile.

June was suddenly aware that everyone was looking at her. She looked down in her lap in response. “I...I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Silence filled the room after that. Hal’s smile slowly fell.

“But, Junie!” Faye guided her face up. “It’s a whole kingdom!”

“An empty kingdom.” Senine said under her breath. 

“Life should be preserved. Shouldn’t it?” Cassie asked.

“It’s a weapon, Hal.” June looked at him. “Its energy isn’t meant to sustain. The Penumbra’s....it’s not just going to empower the star, it’s going to make it more unstable.”

“But...we can find a way. It might be a little rough, at first, but--”

“It’s not meant for it.” June said, ignoring all the looks she was getting. “I’m sorry, I’d help you if I could, but I can’t. The Penumbra can’t.”

“But you don’t know that.” An edge of desperation crept into Hal’s voice. “Please, June, you’re the only hope I have left.”

“...I’m sorry.” June looked back down at her lap. “But I don’t think putting energy that explodes things into your star will keep it from exploding.”

“...Just.” He took a deep breath. “Please, consider at least trying, alright? Give it a week. Think about it. Please.”

He knelt in front of June. June did not meet his gaze.

“The answer will probably still be no, but....I don’t want you to die. Okay. I’ll think about it.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you.” He took June’s hand and kissed it. “Thank you, no matter what you decide, thank you.”

He stood, and looked to the others. “I will be taking my leave, now. Thank you for your time.” He left the room, and with a chiming noise, exited the tower.

“Well.” Mr. Vember said, finally seeming to breathe. “You handled that very well, Miss Hespia.”

“I think I’m going to throw up.” She said, still looking at the floor.

“You are fully entitled to throw up, my dear.”

June stood on shaky legs. Faye moved to support her, and helped her out of the room. Janice followed behind her.

Once she was gone, Cassie looked to Mr. Vember. “We can’t just...let the star die, can we?”

“June raises a valid point, Miss Schumacher.” Mr. Vember sighed. “The Penumbra is notoriously unstable. June’s case is rare enough to be almost unprecedented.”

“I mean....maybe that means she can do it?” Auggie said. “If anyone can keep it stable enough, it’s Junie.”

“June’s, like, afraid to use her power in training?” Amber rolled her eyes. “How’s she going to be comfortable re-igniting a star? Also, like, couldn’t channeling that much energy be bad, somehow?”

“Worse than Hal dying?” Cassie snapped. “His life is at stake.”

“Is it, like, worth trading June’s for?” Amber snapped back, standing up. Auggie immediately stood as well, and walked over to Amber. She took her hand and petted her hair and eventually Amber sat back down.

“I...” Cassie looked down. “Sorry. No. It is not worth trading her life for another’s.”

“...Hal is my friend.” Octavian said, squeezing Cassie’s hand. “But I don’t think he’s thought this through. It sounds as though this has a chance of destroying the few decades he has left.”

“He’s a fucking coward.” Senine pushed away from Cassie and moved for the door. “I need some air.”

Avril followed her out. When they were gone, Mr. Vember said, “It’s also possible that this course of action would kill both of them. Or that it would cause the star to detonate in...a significantly more sizable explosion than it already would, and, given that supernovae can influence thousands of lightyears already.” He paused. “That being said, we have no way of knowing what, exactly, may happen. I will do some research and see what older texts might say on the subject.”

Cassie stood. “I need....I need some air as well.” She started to leave, and Octavian moved to follow her.

“No. Sorry, my love. I need...I want to be alone.”

Octavian visibly drooped as he watched Cassie leave. He turned and gave Auggie the most morose look he possibly could.

Auggie, who was still rubbing Amber’s head, rolled her eyes and extended an arm. Octavian immediately hugged his sister as hard as he could.

 

June sat on the floor of the bathroom. She had not thrown up, but she still felt light-headed from distress. Faye sat with her, rubbing her hand and looking extremely concerned at her.

Janice knocked on the half open door and stepped inside. “Hey, is it okay if I come in, too? Or is this a couple-thing?”

June nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine.”

Faye put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close.

Janice knelt down next to them. “This is a shitty situation, huh?”

June nodded.

“And I bet you know it won’t work the same way I know there’s not a fault line within a few hundred miles of here.”

She nodded again. “Yeah.”

Faye hugged her tight. “You don’t have to, Junie. Maybe we can find another way! Maybe Mr. Vember’ll find some way to help! It doesn’t have to be you.”

“Doesn’t it?” June said, eyes low. “Isn’t it always about me? Stellos wanted the Penumbra. Puppetrix obviously had issues with it, too. Those Savage Star creeps wouldn’t be here without it, Kara hates me because it chose me and not her, and now...Hal thinks it can magically solve his problems.”

“Hey. Maybe next year, someone’s going to come and try to beat me up for making earthquakes.” Janice prodded her. “Maybe want me to power a wave machine or something.”

June gave her a weak smile. “They’d probably bother Avril if they wanted a wave machine.”

“I’m honestly surprised anyone bothers Avril. She’s tough. And the scariest person I’ve ever seen sign their name with a mermaid.” 

Faye nuzzled June and pulled herself closer to her. June relaxed into her touch.

“I just wanted this to be a quiet year, but then the Savage Stars showed up, and...and I just feel like this is only the start of it.”

“Hey.” Janice poked June. “I think you need a break. When’s the last time you two had a date?”

Faye and June looked to each other, and then back at her, June sheepishly said, “Um, never?”

“Well, you could now! Have a nice day together, tomorrow, one last big happy Sunday before all these decisions and school happen.”

“Oh!” Faye brightened up. “Can we?”

“Uh. Sure! That sounds fun. After today, I could use a little fun.”

 

Senine stood at the edge of the Tower’s roof. The air around her was warm and muggy, but she still felt a chill in her entire being. She wrapped her arms around herself, and stared out into the city, tears welling in her eyes.

“Go away.” She said in a wavering voice.

Avril stood just in front of the door to the rest of the tower. “I just wanted to see--”

“I’m not okay and it’s not your business.” The gravity around Senine slightly increased. “Go the fuck away.”

“Okay.” Avril turned to leave, but stopped. “Do you need Cassie?”

“You aren’t going the fuck away. You should.” Senine glared over her shoulder. “I want to be alone. I...” Senine’s head swam, and she fell forward.

Avril was already halfway across the roof in a burst of water, arm outstretched to catch Senine. Senine, however, did not fall off the Tower--she instead hit an invisible magic wall, extending just beyond the edge of the tower.

Senine pushed herself up, and glanced over her shoulder. “...okay. Maybe carry me to bed before I do something else to excite your swashbuckling ass.”

Avril helped Senine to her feet and picked her up in her arms. “You’re very light.”

“I don’t have any flesh and I can control gravity. I’m as light as I want to be.”

Avril only nodded at that and started back down the stairs.

“So, what’s your deal, anyway?” Senine asked. “Do you just sort of stand places being mysterious, handing out clues before helping in climactic fights? Did you get this calling and leave home to work on it, your parents tearfully waving you off on your journey to be a mysterious swashbuckling lesbian?”

“My parents did not cry when I left home.” Avril said, voice level. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Wow, a tragic backstory. You’ll fit in around here. Really, it’s just Janice and the Leveys that don’t have one. Unless you count amicable divorce as tragic. It sounds like you can get in the more exclusive ’hate your parents’ club, which belongs to just me, Faye, and you.”

Avril briefly gaped at her, before returning to descending the tower. “Are you always this flippant?”

“Yes.”

Avril gave her a glare and a frown. Senine smiled back at her. “Oh, I love that look. The ‘I’m now anticipating every future headache Senine’s going to give me’ look.”

“It’s good to see that antagonizing me makes you feel better.” Avril grumbled.

“Much!”

Avril was suddenly of the opinion that there were far too many stairs left between her and her objective.

 

Cassie knocked on the door to her sister’s cell, in the basement of the tower.

“I’m busy.” Gemini called from the other side. “Come back when it’s time for my monthly parole in a couple days.”

“It’s important.” Cassie said, a tremor in her voice. “I need to ask you about death.”

Cassie heard a sudden shuffling from the other side, and then her twin’s voice from significantly closer. “Go on.”

“...Is it wrong to preserve the life of something at the end of its natural lifespan?”

“Define natural lifespan.” Gemini replied. “Because it’s not as simple as that. Life support systems aren’t some big affront to the cycle of life and death. Death happens when it happens.” There was a slight pause before she added, “Did you know that we’ll never die of natural causes? We won’t age like most people. I’m too full of death, and you’re too full of life. Diseases won’t effect us much, either. That doesn’t make us abominations.”

Cassie slumped against the door. “So, if someone is dying...it is not wrong to do whatever you can to survive? Even if it might be fruitless?”

“Well, that depends on what it is, doesn’t it?” Gemini slumped on the other side, a mirror of her sister. “Take it from a junior reaper, Cassie. People will do ANYTHING to not die. They’ll beg and promise and kick and scream for just a second of life. People--everyone, from your best friend to your worst enemy, are most dangerous when they’re desperate to stay alive.”

 

***

 

Prince Decembren sat on the edge of his bed with a sigh.

Not even ten seconds elapsed until he heard a knock on his door, followed by Lady Lanessa entering the room. “Knock knock, beloved! How did your task go?”

“Not...well.” Hal gave a sad smile. “But I convinced her to think it over and give me an answer in a week’s time.”

“You are very persuasive, my Prince.” She sat down on his lap. “She will surely do as you wish and save you.”

“I do hope so, but...” He frowned. “Some of what she was telling me was troublesome. She seems to think that the Penumbra can’t be used to fix things, that it’s only a thing of destruction. She thinks that to apply it to my star might be disastrous.”

Lanessa’s eyes flashed, and Hal’s went blank. “Of course, beloved, you think the benefits outweigh the risks, yes?”

His eyes went back to normal, and he shook the haze off. “Still...even if there is a risk, my kingdom is at stake.”

“As well as your life.” Lanessa gave him a concerned look. “I would be ever so sad if you died.”

“I would not want to leave you alone, my love.”

“Oh, my dear beloved,” Lanessa said, and as she did, red energy flowed from him and into her, which he did not seem to notice. “Trust me when I say, we will never be apart.”


	4. Episode Four:  An Important Date

Auggie and Cassie sat on June’s bed with pensive looks on their faces. June stepped out of her closet in a black sundress, with fishnet tights, and black bracelets on her wrists. “How about this one? Is this good?”

“I like it! It’s fun.” Auggie gave a thumb’s up.

“However.” Cassie tapped her finger against her lip. “It’s very bright, today. You’ll need a lot of sunscreen on your shoulders, arms, and legs. I am fine with it, if you’re willing to take that risk.”

“...Hmmm.” June turned around, and eyed herself as best she could. All around her were previous, discarded outfits that had not passed the gauntlet of Cassie and Auggie’s approval. “And I should probably wear sandals, too. That means sun block on my feet.”

“I would be willing to heal your sunburn, if that influences your decision.”

“...It’s my first date, ever. Sunburn’s a small price to pay. I’ll just have to also remember to bring my parasol.”

“Well, it would look cute with your dress.” Auggie said, with Cassie nodding in confirmation.

“The one thing I can say about it is that it’s cute.” June picked up her parasol and eyed it with a small measure of disdain. “Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a parasol, just so I can have a fun date without seriously injuring my skin or eyes.”

“Aw, it’ll be okay, Junie.” Auggie smiled. “You have a world class healer! And you can show your girlfriend that you’re finally getting a butt.”

June gave her a flustered look. “Oh my god.”

Cassie nodded. “Puberty’s icy hooks seem to have finally found purchase in your flesh, it’s true.”

“Great.” June pouted. “Just make me constantly blush! Then Faye won’t even notice the sunburn!”

“Exactly!” Auggie beamed. “We’re so thoughtful, aren’t we, Cassie?”

“We are, perhaps, the best friends any could wish for.” Cassie nodded sagely.

June shot them dirty looks, and then rolled her eyes. “Okay, she should be by in a couple minutes. Am I forgetting anything? Is there some esoteric dating knowledge I’m forgetting?”

“Junie...I have never been on a date. In case you might’ve missed it, Amber’s not really romantic. And sleeping on my couch? Ugh.” Auggie rested her face in her hands.

“I would be sympathetic, Augusta, but...” Cassie patted her on the back. “Did you just admit to dating Amber?”

“No. Yes. Shut up.” Auggie sighed. “It’s complicated and if you push I’m just going to start talking about my Tales of Battlecraft game.”

“Wait, are you _still_ playing that?” June asked. “I know for a fact that foil balls distract you.”

“Oh yes. When I’m not doing the campaign again with different strategies and armies and higher difficulty, I’m playing online against suckers who think they’re better than me.” Auggie pointed, first at Cassie, and then at June. “Every question about me and Amber will be met with a lengthy discussion about a match I had recently.”

Cassie frowned. “It does not seem healthy.”

“So, I was playing elves, the other night, and the other person was playing humans, and they were totally going for a knight rush strategy--I know, right? Who still does that? Anyway--”

Cassie sighed. “Fine. You win.”

“Always do!”

June picked up a bottle of heavy SPF sunscreen and got to work applying it. “How long do I have?”

“She should be here in...” Cassie glanced at her phone, right as June heard the front buzzer go off. “...as long as it takes Julius to buzz her in and the elevator to bring her up here.”

June’s eyes widened, and she started to slather the sunscreen on faster. “I...we need to stall her! Do...something! I need more--” June got overzealous on her legs and fell onto her rear. “--time.”

“Or, and here’s a crazy idea--you could just tell her you need a minute.” Auggie rolled her eyes. “Jeeze, Junie, relax! It’s just a date.”

“My first date. Ever.”

“And also hers.” Cassie walked over to June and offered a hand and a smile. “It will be fine. You will have plenty of time for more, even if this one goes awry.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” June took Cassie’s hand, and filled it with sunscreen. “Oh. Sorry.” She got back on her feet and started to slather her arms.

“Don’t worry about it. Actually...” Cassie started to rub the sunscreen into June’s exposed shoulders. “Perhaps we can incapacitate two birds with one stone.”

“It’s just not the same without Senine here to ridicule you for that.” Auggie said with a grin.

“Kill is too violent.” Cassie pouted, rubbing her fingers into June’s shoulders.

June’s cheeks went flush, and she closed her eyes. “Oh, wow, that feels nice.”

“You’re rather tense. Is this a common thing?” Cassie paused. “...Sorry, I just realized that the answer to that is rather obvious.”

“Yeeeah, little bit.”

The door opened, then and Faye stepped in. She saw Cassie’s hands on June’s shoulders. Both she and June blushed brightly.

Auggie’s grin grew. “I know that look, Faye. You don’t know if you shoulda taken less time to open the door, or more.”

“Faye! Hi!” June pulled away from Cassie and walked over to her. Faye immediately wrapped her in a big, tight, possessive hug.

“Hi.”

“Uh. Well! We should go do our date!” She looked back at Cassie and Auggie. “Later, guys!”

Faye pulled June out of her room, June only barely managing to grab her parasol on the way out.

Auggie frowned. “Huh. That was....probably the most jealous I’ve ever seen Faye when she’s not, you know, a big, puppeted monster.”

Cassie sat back down on June’s bed, her cheeks still flushed. “Mm. Well, I’m certain she didn’t mean anything by it.”

“....Sooooo,” Auggie began in her most teasing tone. “Was June’s skin sooooft?”

Cassie blushed red and put her face in her hands.

 

Faye pulled June into the elevator and pushed the button for the bottom floor. Her cheeks were red, and her other hand was nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

“...Is...are you okay?” June asked, shifting her position so she was resting her shoulder against her girlfriend’s.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Even when sighing with teenage angst, Faye managed an adorable pout that very much reminded June of a guilty puppy. “Am I attractive?”

“Of course you are.” June squeezed her hand. “You’re the cutest.”

“...But I’m not like Cassie.” Faye muttered, shifting her feet slightly.

“Cassie was giving me a massage after putting sunscreen on my back.” June bumped against her. “That’s all. You’re my girlfriend. It’s not like she and I kissed or anything.”

“But...” Faye looked down. “We haven’t, either.”

“Oh. Yeah.” June’s voice was weak. “But...we’re fourteen. We’re really young, still, and I’m not sure I want to do stuff until I’m at least in high school, you know?”

Faye nodded, eyes still low. June turned to her, and guided her head up with a bright, somewhat guilty smile. “But...hey, maybe a couple kisses could be nice.”

Faye’s eyes immediately brightened. “I think a couple kisses sound nice.”

June leaned in, parting her lips just slightly. She had no idea what she was about to do, save what movies and fanfic had told her.

Faye was purring against June’s chest.

Before their lips could meet, the elevator dinged, and they were immediately on opposite sides of the car, blushing brightly. A little old woman that June vaguely knew stepped into the elevator, smiling at both of them, and rode down with them for the remaining three floors.

June gave her a smile as she and Faye left the elevator and then the apartment building. They slowly migrated back together and took each others’ hands once again.

“So...what do you want to do?” June’s immediate thought was to find somewhere private to kiss.

“Somewhere...public!” Faye said, having pretty much the exact same thoughts.

“Yes! Public!” June inwardly cursed. “With food!”

“That sounds great!” Faye replied, screaming internally. “I love food!”

“What sort of food do you want?” June calmed down slightly, but there was a nervous tinge to her voice.

“Let’s get...meat.” Faye gave June a big grin. “I like meat.”

“Okay! Meat.” She thought for a moment. “What next?”

“We could go to the boardwalk! Or a movie! Or walk around downtown!”

“Okay.” June opened her purse. “How much money do you have?”

“....I forgot to ask Mr. Vember for some.” Faye’s lip trembled. “I’m sorry, Junie, I don’t have anything.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” June patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll cover it, and you can grab it next time!”

Faye immediately brightened. “Do you mean it?”

“Sure! Let’s see what I have.” June fumbled through her purse for a moment. She frowned, and then fumbled a bit more. “...I have twenty...two...thirty-eight. So we can do a movie. I think. But no food. Or we could go to a fast food place, and then made hit a few games on the pier?”

“Is it okay if I ask for food?” Faye said, voice tentative. “If you really want a movie I can eat later, I’m just kind of hungry.”

“Of course it’s okay.” June smiled at her. “I honestly would rather food, too, but it’s okay for you to have preferences, it’s your date, too.”

Faye took June’s hands and gave her a big, bashful grin. “Thank you.”

June’s eyes widened, and she looked down, but she also had a shy smile. “It’s not a big deal. We should just have fun. It’s been rough, and it’s going to be rough. This should be a good memory for us.”

“It’s always going to be a good memory for me. I’m with the best girl in the world.”

June cleared her throat and pulled one hand out of Faye’s. She turned around and started to lead Faye away. “Come on, we can talk about what we want on the way!”

 

******

 

Cassie was still sitting on June’s bed, with Auggie laying on it next to her. She looked down at her friend and said, “I want you to tell me what’s wrong, with you and Amber.”

Auggie groaned and closed her eyes. “So, knights are pretty cheap for what you get, and they’re really fast, so a knight rush is basically making a bunch of them to attack the opponent before they’re set up. But it’s only really a surprise if you’ve never seen it before. So I had a row of archers set up just in case and--”

“I’m worried about you.” Cassie interrupted. “She’s done things that seem just as jealous as Faye was just now, but, unlike Faye, she’s also terrified of being seen with you, as your girlfriend.”

Auggie did not open her eyes. “She has her reasons, okay? I don’t want to get into it. She’s more open, now. She’ll get more open.”

“I’m worried about you.” Cassie repeated with a heavier frown. “You wouldn’t tolerate anyone else doing this to your friends--look at how you acted when June did essentially this same thing to Faye?”

“That’s different.”

“How?” Cassie asked, a tinge of desperation mixed with exasperation in her voice. The next moment, she regained some of her composure. “Forgive me, I just want to understand why you would let yourself be hurt like this.”

“Amber isn’t June.” Auggie opened her eyes, and then turned over, onto her side. “June’s happy with being bi. She’s been out since before we even met her. Amber isn’t...she’s not comfortable with it yet.”

“May I ask what she’s not comfortable being?”

Auggie shrugged. “I don’t even know if she knows yet. Can we please just stop talking about it?”

“I don’t want this to be us, again.”

Auggie did not look at her. “It isn’t.”

Cassie laid down next to Auggie and snuggled against her back. “I’m sorry.”

Auggie pressed against Cassie and sighed. “It’s fine. You’re just worried.”

They laid like that for a very long time.

 

******

 

“I’ll have....” Faye looked up at the menu. “A footlong cheesesteak, please!”

“Do you want extra meat for just a dollar more?” The young man behind the counter said, thoroughly bemused by the girl’s order.

Faye shook her head. “Oh, no, I shouldn’t...”

“It’s not that much more.” June said. “I can afford it, if you want it.”

“Really?!” Faye’s eyes went bright. “Okay! I’ll have extra meat, please. Is it pre-cooked, or can you make it rare?”

“It’s pre-cooked, sorry. Chips and a drink?”

“Oh, just a diet cola.” Faye stepped to the side to let June order.

“I’ll have...a six inch turkey and bacon, with chips and a cola.” June paid the teen, and then stepped to the side, with Faye. Faye wrapped her arms around June and beamed at her.

“You’re the best. You let me have extra meat.” Faye rubbed her cheek against June’s, finding it a bit hotter than it might have been without the obvious display of affection.

June shuffled slightly, pulled away, and looked down to hide her grin. “It’s just a dollar, it’s not a huge deal.”

“It’s the best.” Faye took her hands. “Thank you.”

They locked eyes, and June briefly taken aback by how much raw affection was in Faye’s eyes. She honestly thought, in that moment, that Faye would have died for her, and all she had to do was ask.

 _Wow._ June thought. _She really likes meat._

In time, Faye and June’s orders came up, and they found a nice spot by a window to eat. June was finished several minutes before Faye even started the second half of her sandwich.

“So, did you always eat this much meat? Or did that start later?” June sipped the dregs of her drink, weighing the pros and cons of getting up to refill it.

Faye swallowed the mouthful of steak. “I’ve always wanted to eat a lot of meat! Mom and Dad never really let me, though. They said it was weird and wrong for a girl to want to eat like that, and that the only reason I wanted it was because...I was bad.”

“Oh, Faye, sweetie...” June reached across the table to take her hand. “Do you want me to buy you more meat? Maybe a hot dog when we hit the boardwalk?”

Faye’s eyes widened. “Really???”

“Sure! We have like six bucks left, that’ll get us at least one hotdog.”

“Oh, Junie!” Faye leapt out of her seat and ran around the table in order to wrap June in a big hug. June was keenly aware that several nearby tables were staring at them.

“Hey, it’s not big deal.” June half-heartedly hugged back. “Honestly I kind of just want to stick it to your parents by showering you with meat.”

Faye stiffened slightly, and tightened her hug. June’s hug became a bit more earnest, and she rested her head against her shoulder.

“You’re the best.” Faye said. “The best ever.”

“I...um. Hey! You should finish your sandwich so we can get going, right?” June’s cheeks were the reddest they had ever been without severe sunburn.

Faye released June and went back to her seat. June watched her eat with a smile, trying to ignore something she could not quite define gnawing at her.

 

****

 

“Why are we waiting?” Jakil snarled, inside the Officer’s Lounge. “We could easily do whatever it is our Lady requires of us without waiting for that...that...Prince of nothing! My honor demands the fight be finished, free of interlopers.”

“Deceit does not suit you, Jakil.” Layon glanced over at him, before returning to her drink--a seemingly boiling glass of some molten red substance. “But neither do tantrums. You would do well to trust our Lady’s orders, and, further, mine. No action until Lady Lanessa requests it.”

“This stinks of cowardice! Skulking on our ship, while our enemy....” Jakil paused. “Does...whatever...our enemy is doing.”

“They are relaxing.” Shryk said from her perch next to Layon. “In preparation for their return to academy. This region of this planet requires compulsory education for thirteen years, until approximately eighteen years of age. These are the final days of their yearly break, before beginning instruction again.”

“What?” Moal said, looking up from his keg. “They gotta do school AND be Rangers? Doesn’t this planet have an exemption?”

“No. This planet is not a Ranger planet, it is just a planet with Rangers on it. Most of the populace is not aware of magic, or the Rangers.” Shryk said. Layon patted the top of her egg.

“So, what does your honor say about that, Jakil? Attacking them at their last point of respite? Without your liege telling you to do so?”

Jakil averted his eyes. “I am sorry, Supreme General. My lust for battle had blinded me.”

“It’s commendable. But remember, we would be nothing without Her. Maybe even less.”

Jakil moved back to his chair, head bowed and ears low.

Layon stood, and Shryk hovered behind her. “I know waiting can be hard. I know we, and the troops, are feeling restless. However, we will have our time to hunt. Lady Lanessa has never left us with a dearth of prey before. She will not now, either. We will have our chance to test the mettle of Stellar Ranger Dark Star and her allies. In time. For now, we endure our last few days of respite, before we are let off our leashes.”

 

  
***

 

The boardwalk was bustling with kids, just like Faye and June, enjoying the last days of their break. Most had parents with them, though some were roving packs, hovering around games and attractions. Faye and June found a spot along the edge, where they could look out into the massive lake bordering Solar City. Faye had a hot dog, true to June’s word, while June was snacking on an elephant ear.

She was all but out of spending money for the week, but she did not really care, at the moment. Her free hand was in Faye’s, and her parasol was resting in the crook of her elbow, pointed in the vague direction of the sun, which, even with her sunglasses, stung her eyes with its watery reflection.

“I’ve been listening to Grimoirica, lately.” June said. “There’s not much guitar, but I really like the vocalist, she has a super pretty voice and they do really neat things with it.”

“Ooh, I’ve never heard of them, before!” Faye finished her hotdog and turned more towards June. “What’re they like?”

“Well, here! Do you want to listen?” June fished the phone out of her purse and fiddled with it, the fried dough hanging from her mouth. She queued up a song and handed it to Faye.

Faye listened for a while. “Wow! Her voice is really pretty, you were right!”

June grinned. “Told you.”

“It’s kind of weird, but I like it! They don’t really play stuff like this on the radio.”

“Only usually on public radio, really late at night.” June made a face. “Julius makes me go to bed when he catches me listening.”

“Is it all like this?”

“Everything by Grimoirica is. A few other bands also do the melodic-ethereal thing like them. Others get all Industrial, which is a bit harsher. I like both, myself, but the hot singing is a little different in Industrial.”

Faye handed the phone back. “Can you send some of this band to me? I’ve been making a playlist and I think this could be fun!”

“Sure! What do you usually listen to?”

“The radio. I wasn’t really allowed to have my own music or anything, before. It took a while for me to even realize that Mr. Vember wouldn’t stop me from getting any of my own!” Faye sounded upbeat, but there was a sadness, barely visible behind her smile.

“Your parents...didn’t let you have music?”

Faye shook her head. “Only the radio. I wasn’t allowed a lot of TV, either. They said that me being too excited made me bad.”  
June stared at Faye for a moment, and then put her phone away and took hold of her parasol. She then hugged Faye as tightly as she could. Faye seemed startled by this, but then very eagerly hugged back.

“You deserve all the fun things you want.” June pulled away. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

“Thanks, Junie.” Faye wiped away some tears. 

“No problem.” June smiled. “So, can I see what you do have on your phone?”

“Sure!” Faye handed her phone over, and June scrolled through it.

June saw a playlist that included pop, children’s movie songs, rock, R&B, rap, country, some classical (including one opera song), classic rock and pop, animal noises (mostly birdsong and wolf sounds), and a dash of various eletronic. Almost everything that was not animal songs was also by female artists, though, June supposed, she had no way of knowing if they were boy or girl birds and wolves.

“Wow, I’ve heard people say they like a little of everything, but I’ve never actually seen what that looks like, before.” June handed the phone back.

Faye gave June a big smile. “Whenever I hear something I like, I put it in here! I’ve been collecting songs since Mr. Vember let me have this phone, last year. Oh! Have you seen the cat game?”

“The game where cats lounge around on a fake porch?”

“Yes! Look!” Faye pulled up her game, and showed June her cats.

“That is a lot of cats.”

“Isn’t it?! It’s great. I love my fake cats.”

“You should have a real pet.” June leaned against the railing. “I think you’d really like one.”

“I want one! Mr. Vember’s allergic to a lot of animal dander, though, so I can’t really have one.”

“It’s probably because he’s from space. He’s probably less allergic to all sorts of weird alien animals.”

Faye’s eyes widened. “Ooooh, alien animals! I wonder how cute they are??? Do you think Mr. Vember has books with pictures of alien animals???”

June laughed. “Probably! I’ve never really looked.”

“We should go to the library! We could look for animal alien pictures! Please?”

“Sure! It’s free. That’s probably better than us just looking forlornly at the games around here.” June was also happy about the prospect of getting out of the sun.

They turned to leave, when something caught Faye’s eye. She pointed at a booth they had not noticed before, a small, black pavilion with the words, “Madame Lucy West--Fortune Teller” written across the top in bright blue.

“Oh! Junie, we should check it out!” She started pulling Faye towards the pavilion.

“A fortune teller?” June eyed it. “Faye, we know a fortune teller. A real one. With actual powers. I could text her right now.”

“It’ll be fun! It doesn’t matter if it’s true!” Faye gave June a bright smile. “It’ll be fun!”

“Okay! We’ll see if they’ll give us something for...a dollar.”

June and Faye entered the pavilion. It was hot in here, stuff from summer heat on black fabric, without the respite of the cool lake breeze. Still, as the only light was a pair of black candles, sitting on a black-cloth covered table, the lack of light was merciful for June’s eyes.

Behind this table was a woman with flowing ringlets of black hair under a bright blue bandana, with matching eyes. She wore a flowing black dress and had perfectly manicured, black nails. She looked oddly familiar to June, but she could not quite place how.

“Welcome.” She said with an impossible-to-place accent. “I am Madame Lucy West. Welcome to my house of fortune.”

“Hi, I’m Faye!” She said, and then gestured to her girlfriend. “And this is--”

“June, yes?” Madame West said with a twinkle in her eye. She smiled slyly at the shocked looks on Faye and June’s faces. “Oh, dears, don’t worry. I heard you talking outside the pavilion. Now, I take it you want your fortunes told?”

“Yes! Oh.” Faye paused, and looked guilty. “But we only have a dollar.”

“A dollar would be more than enough for a pair of fortunes for such lovely young women.” Madame West sighed. “Of course, business is also very slow. So! Which of you wants to go first?”

“Oh, me!” Faye said, and then looked over at June. “Unless you want to go first!”

“Nope, go ahead!”

“Alright, then, I’ll need you to wait outside, June.” Madame West said with a pleasant smile. “Fortunes are a private thing.”

Faye looked a little disappointed at that. June patted her on the shoulder. “It’s fine, I’ll just be outside, okay?”

“Okay.” Faye squeezed June’s hand, and June slipped outside.

 

Faye sat in front of the table, on a stool that was hidden in the dim light. Madame West held out her hand, and Faye held out hers, palm up.

Madame West took it, and stared into Faye’s hand. She traced the lines, and frowned. She released Faye’s hand, and removed a tarot deck from seemingly out of thin air. She drew a card from the middle of the deck put it face down.

“Turn it over.” Madame West said with a very neutral voice.

The card felt and looked very old. It was half-faded, and Faye was afraid the aged card would tear under her fingers. Faye turned it with all of the care in the world, and, on the other side.

The card was hard to read, but Faye thought she saw two figures in a faded background, one golden and one white. They were holding hands, in front of what looked like a sunny field. Below was the Roman numeral VI.

“I feel that you’ve had a troubled time, lately. There’s some grave problem hounding you.” She put down a second card. This was card featured a golden child, smelling a flower growing from a golden vase. Four more vases stood in the foreground, and one was directly behind the child. Lucy placed this card upside-down. “And you’re doing what you can to rise above it. One thing in particular is giving you a lot of the strength you are drawing on to endure it.” She tapped the card that she had first placed. “Or, perhaps, one person?”

Faye grinned and nodded. “Yeah. Junie.”

Lucy, though, was not smiling. “I’m not sure about the details, but there might come a time when a choice will be made. Between your happiness,” She put down a card featuring the golden figure, surrounded by nine of the golden cups, each with flowers like the previous one, “And your love.”

Faye’s eyes widened. “But...but I’m happy with Junie. Why would I be happier without her?”

“That’s not very clear. And don’t be sad, sweetie. This wouldn’t be the first time one of my predictions went wrong. Cheer up.” Lucy smiled, and Faye could not help but to smile back.

“Now, let your girlfriend in, and I’ll see if I can give her better news.”

 

June sat down in the same stool Faye had been in moments ago. Lucy held her hand out, once again, but June only stared at it.

“Your palm, sweetie.”

“Oh!” June offered her palm, and Lucy took it. “Sorry, I haven’t really done this, before.”

“That’s fine, most people haven’t. That’s what my cash box says, anyway. Now, let’s see.” Lucy lifted June’s hand and studied it for several moments before releasing it.

“Hm.” Lucy suddenly had a tarot deck in hand. If nothing else, June admired her sleight-of-hand ability. Even in the still, quiet room, with an amount of light that was actually comfortable for her eyes, June had not been able to follow the motion that put the deck in her hands.

She drew a single card from the bottom-third of the deck and placed it, face down. “Turn it over.”

June did as she was told. The face of the aged, worn card featured a tower, drawn in white against a black background. The tower was crack in half, with a white lightning bolt impacting it in the middle. Falling from the tower was a figure in white, and a figure in black. The Roman numeral XVI was emblazoned across the top.

“It seems like your life is full of calamity.” She put down a second card. This one featured the white figure, bound in black. Beside her were eight swords, sticking up from the ground. Each sword was drawn in black and white. “And defined by tragedy.” She put down a second card, with a black figure, laying on the ground and pierced by ten white swords. “This...appears to be the only thing you believe your life has in store for you.”  
June had gone dead still. When she realized she was being addressed, she slowly nodded.

“But! I see something important in your future. Something I believe you haven’t dared hope for.” She placed a final card down. This one showed a figure in black and white, holding out a large, also black and white blade in front of her. Though faded, it looked like the figure was in armor. “No matter how difficult things are, you have the ability to fight.”

June stared for a moment. She reached into her purse and handed Lucy West a dollar bill. The fortune teller smiled at her. “Thank you very much! I hope you and your girlfriend have a good rest of your date.”

June left the tent, and as the tent flap closed, Lucy West was no longer Lucy West.

Lanessa de Vran Sie sat in her place. She eyed the dollar for a moment, before it disappeared in a flash of blue. She snapped her fingers, and was holding a small, blue crystal in her hand.

“As fun as playing fortune teller is,” She said to no one in particular, holding the crystal up to her eyes. “It’s about time I used Veracity’s powers for their intended purpose.”

 

June and Faye barely spoke about the fortune teller, on the bus ride towards the park. They talked about music, more, and June listened to some of Faye’s wolf sounds. Occasionally, Faye put her arms around June and pulled her close, as if afraid June would slip away. Occasionally, June stared off into the distance, and got an expression that almost looked hopeful.

After about half an hour of travel, June and Faye were walking through the park, towards the fountain under the Tower. Faye smiled at every dog she saw being walked, and made sure to very excitedly point them out to June. Eventually, they reach the fountain, and found themselves inside the Tower.

The library was quiet and empty, save for Janice, her head buried in a pile of books, quietly snoring. The girls looked to her, and then moved off, into the stacks.  
After a few minutes of searching, they found the zoology section, which included brightly-colored, thin books of photographs of wildlife from various planets, Earth included. They made a few big piles of these books on the floor, and in the middle of them, shoulder-to-shoulder, poring through them.

“Oh, look at that one!” Faye said, trying--and failing--to stay quiet.

“Wow.” June replied. “That is the most noble butt I’ve ever seen on an animal.”

“It’s very prestigious, I hope he’s proud of that display.” Faye flipped the page. “And her! Very fierce.”

June winced. “Does she need that many teeth, though?”

Faye counted them. “It’s only probably about a hundred, that’s not TOO many.”

“Did you count the bottom row?”

“Oh. Two-hundred.” Faye made another count. “Maybe two-thirty with the front teeth. Still, that’s not that bad! Snails have thousands of them! And some dolphins have slightly more. Than two-thirty, not more than thousands.”

June leaned over to turn the page. When she sat up straight, again, Faye’s arm was around her back, her hand resting on June’s side. June’s cheeks went hot, and Faye also blushed, which was combined with a slightly crafty grin.

“H-her feathers are pretty cool. And pointy. Wait, are those spikes?”

“I think so.” Faye nuzzled June’s cheek.

June jumped, and in turn, her shoulder hit the bookshelf. It shifted slightly, and a stack of remaining animal books toppled off the shelf, onto them. June and Faye shielded their heads are cried out in alarm, though, aside from a book corner hitting June in the arm, they did not do any real harm.

A chair immediately screeched back, and a moment later, Janice skidded into view of the row. She looked startled for a moment, and then immediately relaxed.

“Oh, thank God, it’s just you two. I was about to summon my mace, and I don’t think something volcanic’s a good idea in a library.”

“We made a book-a-lanch.” June said dismally.

“We were looking at cute animals! That are also aliens.”

“Oh, are you guys on your date?” Janice asked, and then pointed behind her. “I can take off, if you want, just had some research I wanted to do.”

“What were you looking up?” June put her arm, very tentatively, around Faye’s waist. Faye immediately leaned into her.

“Well, I realized that I had no idea what burning out someone’s star means.” Janice waded into the aisle and knelt down next to the couple. “So, I’ve been looking up that, for when these Savage Star creeps show up, again.”

“I guess I don’t know what it means, either.” Faye said. “What’d you find out, Jannie? Jan-Jan?” She frowned. “Auggie would be better at this, sorry.”

“Okay, so, it’s kinda like breaking your arm to make sure you punch someone out.” Janice got into an actual sitting position. “See, you know how you have a set amount of power you can access from your star, and it rebuilds slowly?”

June said “No” at the same time that Faye said “Yes.”

“Well, you’re a special case, Junie. It turns out, that’s kind of a built-in limiter. Your soul sort of resists taking in too much at once, ‘cause otherwise, it’s like when you have the heat on too high on some pans, it starts damaging and warping it by degrees. It lets you build up as much as you can, and when you use too much of it, your soul and your body start to get tired for...some reason, I don’t know, I’m not a soul-ologist, a lot of it’s above my twelfth-grade reading level. The point is this: burning out your star means you’ve found a way to work around that limit. You can pull in as much energy as you want, regardless of how much damage you’re doing to your body and soul.”

“But...” June frowned. “Wait, aren’t star hearts and souls kind of the same?”

“Sort of. A lot of people refer to them as being the same, but it’s kinda like talking about the cardiovascular system. It’s interconnected, and they’re all part of the same spiritual-stellar energy system, which people just tend to shorten to ‘soul’ or ‘star heart’.”

“So, these Savage Star people are...just always hurting themselves?” Faye asked, eyes wide. “That’s awful!”

“Yeah, it looks like. Maybe they have it on low, somehow, most of the time, but it’s gotta hurt at least a little bit, all the time.”

“But...but why would they do that?” Faye’s eyes were watering.

“I have no idea.” Janice said, and then sighed. “But, hey! At least we have a basic idea of what sorta threat they are, right?”

“Right. Thanks, Janice.” June rested her head on top of Faye’s. She could feel Faye’s chest rumbling like a cat’s purr.

“No problem, I like doing all the detective-research stuff. Anyway, I’d better head home and let you guys do your thing. I think it’s dinner time, anyway.” Janice pulled out her phone, and glanced at it. “....Or it’s like an hour past dinner time and Mom’s wondering where the heck I am.”

“Wait, what time is...” June fished out her phone. “When did it become seven?”

“Seven?” Faye blinked. “Oh, no, I should get back home soon, too. Wow, we spent most of the day together.”

“Yeah.” June smiled. “I guess we did.”

“Do you guys need a ride home or something? Cause I could probably get Mom to do that.” Janice tapped away at her phone.

“Oh, uh, sure! That’d be great.” June retracted her arm and stood up, and then offered a hand to help Faye--who was both heavier and stronger--up. Faye accepted it, and, after being pulled up, lingered for a moment with her hand in June’s.

“So, it looks like my suggestion was a pretty good idea, huh?” Janice gave June a side-eyed grin.

“Yes. Yes it was.” She squeezed Faye’s hand. “Honestly, I feel a lot better.”

Faye rested her head against June’s shoulder.

“Good. You deserve it, especially since our vacation didn’t really pan out. C’mon, Mom’ll get super passive aggressive if we aren’t down there when she gets here.”

 

About another half-hour later, June and Faye were on the front step of June’s apartment building, while Janice’s Mom’s car sat on the street a few yards away, engine idling.

“I had a really nice time.” Faye said, shifting slightly. “Thank you.”

“I had a good time, too.” June grinned. “We need to do this again.”

“Yes, we do.” Faye leaned up and kissed June on the cheek, and then turned and walked to the car.

June touched her cheek, and watched her go. After the car pulled away, June went up to her apartment.

Julius was crashed out on the couch, with Leah resting on his chest. June smiled at that, and moved to the kitchen, where a plate of cold rice and chicken was waiting for her. She heated and ate it, and then moved to her room.

The lights were still on, and Cassie and Auggie were sprawled out on her bed, also asleep. Auggie had her phone balanced on her chest, and Cassie had her head on Auggie’s stomach.

June smiled, and then moved onto the bed. She stretched out across Auggie and Cassie, who only stirred slightly. Her arms, neck, nose, and legs all stung from sunburn.

Still, she managed to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

 

*****

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie stepped into the throne room, glancing around. “Beloved? Are you here?”

Prince Halloway Decembren was leaning against the wall, to the side of the throne. He looked up when Lanessa entered, a smile overwriting the troubled look on his face. “Lanessa! Yes, I’m here.”

Lanessa frowned as she crossed the room to him, and put a hand on his arm. “Is it still troubling you so?”

“I can’t help but to expect the worst. I’m afraid she won’t even try.” He sighed. “But, enough sad talk, did you have something you needed to say?”

“Unfortunately, my Prince, it’s a bit more sad talk. Here.” Lanessa placed something in Hal’s hand. He looked down, and was surprised to see a small, blue crystal in it.

“We are coming on difficult times, my Prince. If anything happens to me, this contains a message for you. Something for you to remember me with.”

Hal’s gaze went steely. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Anything can, beloved.” Lanessa cupped his cheek. “Just keep it with you, Just in case.”

“...” He sighed. “Alright, alright. It will never leave my side.”

“Oh, my Prince,” Lanessa said softly, giving him a brief kiss. “That’s all I ask for.”

 


	5. Episode 5:  The New Girls

The door of the cell creaked open, and out came Gemini, stretching her arms over her head.  Waiting for her outside was Cassie, Auggie, June, Janice, and Mr. Vember.

“Aw,  that’s sweet!  I love having a group welcome.  Can we do brunch?  I miss pancakes.”  Gemini strode towards  her sister, a large grin present on her face.  “Is there a reason you’re here with a party, sis, or did you have something you wanted?”

“Mr. Vember has...a further proposition for you, concerning your freedom.”  Cassie said, eyes locked with her twin.  For some reason, Cassie was holding a second backpack--this one violet, rather than green.

“Does he, now?  What, do I need to beat  all of you to be free for good?”

“Hardly, Miss Schumacher.”  Mr. Vember sighed.  “You have been keeping up with self-regulated studies, yes?”

“Obviously.  I might as well do school while I’m in prison.”

“The girls are here because they are on their way to school.  You are welcome to join them.”

“Ha!”  Gemini exclaimed.  “Uh, no.  I don’t have much time free, I’m not wasting it with any more mouth breathers than I have to.”

“If you decide to go school, I would be willing, on a provisional basis, to allow you freedom while at school.”  Mr. Vember raised a hand, and a blue symbol floated in flames above it.  “I will, of course, have a tracking spell on you.  But you would have freedom every single weekday, and one weekend a month.”

Gemini’s eyes widened.  Cassie offered her the second backpack.

“...Okay.”  Gemini took the pack.  “But you’d better believe I’m going to get detention.”

 

******

The way to Solar City High was unfamiliar to Avril, but her phone told her the way well enough.  She walked with all the purpose she did not feel, and ignored the nervous turbulence in her stomach.

“You look like such a noob.”  Came an all-too-familiar voice behind her.  Avril turned, and saw Senine Nocturne, Octavian Levey, and Jordy.  “Seriously, the whole confident-but-nervous thing, the way you’re holding that bookbag.  All of it screams ‘noob’.”

Avril gave her a look of plain and obvious distaste.  “Why are you bothering me?”

“Because I decided we’re friends.”  Senine strode up to her and put an arm around her shoulders.  Avril shook the arm off and glared at her.

“Ah, blossoming friendship.”  Octy said with a wistful sigh.  “Is there anything more beautiful?”

“There is not, Octy.”  Senine nodded, and then nudged Avril.  “C’mon, grouchy, what’s got you so wound up?”

“It’s...”  Avril looked away.  “Do you know a girl named Lynn Card?”

Senine’s eyes went wide.

“Lynneth Ursula Card was the most popular girl in grade school, junior high, and will, most likely, be the most popular girl in high school this year, despite her Freshman status.”  Octy said, stepping up on Avril’s other side.  “She is beautiful, rich, intelligent, and athletic.  She was the junior high cheer captain, and, if gossip is to be believed, she’s also the high school cheer captain, as well as the chess club captain.  Absolutely everyone loves her, with one exception.”

“Lynneth Ursula Card is literally the devil.”  Senine said with absolute certainty.

Avril gave her an incredulous look.  “I’m sorry?”

“Look how perfect she is!  She is the smartest, prettiest, most athletic, and most popular girl, everywhere she goes.  Ask around--no one has any bad words to say about her.”  Senine’s voice was impassioned and her arm movements increasingly wild.  “And her name!”

“What is wrong with her name?”  Avril asked.

“It’s a romance heroine’s name.  It sounds totally made up!”

Avril raised an eyebrow.  “Says ‘Senine Nocturne’?”

“Yes!  Exactly.  You get me, Gay Blade.  My name?  Completely made up!  Well, not Nocturne, that’s a corruption of my ‘actual’ last name, but anyway, I know fake names.  Lynneth Ursula Card is a fake name.”

“She’s been like this since she first met Lynneth.”  Octy said with a patronizing pat on Senine’s arm.  “Though, for all of her ranting, we’ve yet to find a single bit of evidence of any wrongdoing.”

Senine pulled her arm away.  “See!?  That’s evidence in and of itself.  What kid never gets in trouble?  Ever?”

“Me.”  Said Jordy from behind everyone else.  “I’ve never been in trouble.”

“That’s different, you’re a good kid, and, also, I taught you how not to get caught.”  Senine turned back to him, before looking to Avril.  “So, why do you want to know about Hellspawn Bitch Card.”

“I talked to her at the mall, and I’m thinking...”  She blushed. 

“Oh, fuck no.”

Octy patted Senine on the back.  “I’ll be alright, my friend.  Just breathe.”

“The last I have seen, you don’t have any hold over me.”  Avril glared at Senine.  “I have nothing to lose in asking her out.  She is pretty and nice.”

“But she’s evil!”

“According to you, and no one else.”

Senine glared.  “I’ll have you know I’m an excellent judge of character.”

“Again, according to you.”

“And also me.”  Octy said.  “After all, she  _ is _ my friend.”

Senine sighed.  “Thank you.”

“But I’m not entirely sold on the evil Lynneth theory.”

“God damnit, Octy.”

“However!”  Octy raised a hand.  “I have kept it in mind because Senine is my friend, and friends’ theories should be entertained no matter how outlandish they might be.”

“Thank you.”

Avril stared at Senine for a moment.  “You have never had any proof for your claims.”

“No, but--”

Avril cut in.  “If I asked her out, and she said yes, then, maybe, I would have an inside look, and if she is as truly horrible as you think, I would be able to see first hand.”

“Ingenious....and dramatic.”  Octy nodded in approval.  “Clearly, Senine, we have made a good choice for drafting a friend.”

“I--You--”  Senine eyed her for a moment, and then sighed.  “Alright, fine.  But don’t think for a minute that I don’t realize this is a veneer of patronizing me over you doing something that you wanted to do anyway.”

“It absolutely is exactly that.”  On anyone else this might have been joking, but Avril said it completely seriously.

“You’re lucky that I plan on being the bigger woman and helping you amidst the storm of ‘I-told-you-sos” that I’m definitely going to dole out when it turns out that Lynneth is a vicious hellbitch.”

“And if she is exactly what she seems?”

Senine shrugged.  “Is anyone?”

 

****

 

“Wow.”  Janice said, mostly to herself, just outside the school.  Kids and young teens were milling about in front of it, their attitudes a mixture of bright-eyed excitement and dismal anticipation.  “That is a lot of people.”

“Like, welcome to public school?”  Amber, who, along with Faye, was now with the group.

“Am I gonna get shanked?  People get shanked in public school, right?”  Janice sighed.  “Ugh!  I have been around waaaay too many rich people.”

“I can probably arrange for you to get shanked.”  Gemini shrugged.  “Vember said I needed to be at school, not that I can’t shank people.”

“Don’t shank people.”  June said with a level stare.

Gemini rolled her eyes.  “June, you can’t keep holding me back, like this.  What will our kids think when we argue?”

“‘We’ aren’t going to have kids.”

Gemini considered  that for a moment, and then nodded.  “You’re right, I’d rather have a pet.”

“Anyway,”  Auggie said, stepping between Gemini and Janice.  “You aren’t gonna get shanked.  I’ve been at public school all my life, and I’ve never been shanked.”

“But...I mean, look at all these white people!”  Janice shook her head.  “That can’t be safe.”

“We do have not white people.  I’m only mostly white, and there’s  Junie!”  Auggie pointed.  “Wait.  Sort of?”

“I’m half white.  And also, literally white.”

“But we also have Bernadette!  And, you know, like a third of our class.”

“Bernadette is in High School, now, actually!”  Faye chimed in.

“Okay, but, one less black girl in our classes doesn’t mean we don’t have any, anymore.”

Janice sighed.  “Okay.  No shanking, no hate crimes.  Just, like, normal school.”

“That sounds boring.”  Gemini glanced to the others.  “Why did I agree to this, again?”

June shrugged.   “Because this way you can pretend you’re at school when you’re stalking me?”

“...I hadn’t even thought of that but yes, that is now one of the reasons.”

Faye put a protective arm around June’s waist.

“Oh, come on, Faye.  You’re welcome to join us, when June’s finally mine.  I could always use a...pet.”

Janice stepped between June and Faye, and Gemini.  “Okay, we’re getting a little off track and also kinda R-rated.  Gemini and I need to get to the office, right?  Where’s that?”

“I know the way.”  Gemini said, stepping forward and putting an elbow on Janice’s shoulder.  “Unless it’s dramatically changed since I’ve last been here, I’m well acquainted with the location of the office.  And, after all, the rest of you need to go to class.”

Cassie narrowed her eyes.  “This is some sort of scheme.”

Gemini put her hand over her chest.  “A scheme?  Me?  Dearest sister, of course not!  I just want to be helpful to a fellow new student!”

“It’s probably a scheme.”  June said, but then sighed.  “But...as much as I hate to admit it, we do need to go to class, and Janice is as good a jailer for Gemini as anyone else.”

“Aw, thanks, babe.”  Gemini grinned.

June took hold of Faye’s hand and started to pull her off.  “Behave.  If you want to still be free.”

The others moved away.  Gemini started to talk, but Janice said, “If you run, I can probably catch you.”

Gemini rolled her eyes.  “Please.  I have basically nothing to do most days except go soul reaping and working out.”

“I play soccer and lacrosse.  And I play the drums.  I’m probably in better shape than you.”

Gemini snorted.  “Lacrosse?  Did you pick the whitest sport you could on purpose?”

“You mean the one invented by Native Americans?  Just ‘cause white people do something doesn’t mean they invented it, and it doesn’t mean it’s theirs.”  Janice pointed towards the school.  “So, let’s get to the office.”

“Oh, so there’s an agenda.”  Gemini started to lead the way.

“No.  I just like playing lacrosse and I hate people pulling the ‘wow I guess that makes you white’ card.”  Janice followed.  “You don’t need a special skin color to like running around a field, waving a stick.”

“You have a point. I used to chase Levey like that.”  Gemini gave a dreamy sigh.  “She’s lucky she’s so quick.”

“So, it’s hard to tell--do you hate Auggie, or, like, are you madly in love with her?”

Gemini made a very unconvincing disgusted face.  “What no gross I hate her obviously.  So, do you like anything besides sports and mysteries?”

“I freakin’ love mysteries, you have no idea.  I watch some cartoons, play some videogames.  Most of those tend to be mystery-related.”  Janice shrugged.  “I like things that make me use my brain, basically.  Do you like anything besides super vague world domination plans and hitting on girls that’ve got girls already?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”  Gemini grinned.  They were outside the office, after Gemini had taken the most circuitous route possible to get there.  “If you like mysteries, I have one for you, while you wait for me to finish getting ten thousand lectures about safety.”

“Okay.”  Janice crossed her arms over her chest.  “Shoot.”

“So, you’re smart, you know that darkness isn’t a thing, right?  It’s just light not being able to get somewhere.”

“Right.”

“So, then,”  Gemini put her hand on the door.  “If darkness isn’t a thing, it has no energy or mass, what does June channel?”

Janice raised her hand to talk, and then stopped.  Gemini grinned, and walked through the door.  She was half tempted to text June about it, when a group of three kids, two girls and a boy, all about two years younger than her, shuffled nervously over to her.

“Hi.”  The lead girl said.  “This is like really dumb and it’s probably nothing but...are you Janice Aerie?”

Something told Janice that this should alarm her, but she shook it off.  “Yep, that’s me!  What can I do for you?”

“No way.”  The second girl gaped.  “Janice Aerie from the Shining Stars???”

“That’s me!  But I’m, uh, taking a break from them for the moment.”  Janice found herself automatically both outwardly relaxing and inwardly tensing.  “What can I do for you?”

“No way is she legit.”  The boy said.  “She just looks like her.”

Janice held up a hand.  “Hold that thought.”  She rummaged through her backpack and produced a pair of black-and-red drumsticks.  She twirled them around her fingers.  “Does this make me look a little more familiar?”

“Oh, wow, it is her!”  The lead girl’s eyes went wide.  “Can you...sign a thing?  I don’t...”  She started going through her bag, and she pulled out her notebook.  “This?  It’s...mostly English notes.”

“Sure!  Luckily, Ms. Kerberus isn’t around to charge you guys for these.”  Janice smiled, and felt slightly relieved.  She signed things for all three younger students and sent them along their way.

“You know, you don’t need to be nice to those fifth graders.”  Came a voice from the other side.  Janice turned and saw two other girls.  They were also smiling, but they did not look quite as friendly.  “They aren’t even middle schoolers.”

“There’s no harm in being nice to them, they weren’t hurting anything.”  Janice replaced her sticks in her bag.  

“I mean, I guess???  You must be new.  I’m Bethany, and this is Valerie.”  The girl gestured to her friend.

“Oh, hey!  I’m Janice.  My Mom moved here over the summer.”

“So...did you hang with the losers where you came from?  Or did no one brief you on being part of the wrong crowd?”

Janice froze, but her training made her keep that polite smile on her face.  “What do you mean?”

Valerie rolled her eyes.  “We saw you hanging with all of those...gays and freaks.”

“I mean, Cassie, the girl who lead you here?  ‘She’ isn’t even a real girl.”

Janice was about to say something when the door behind her opened.

“The Principal’s ready to--”  Gemini stopped when she saw Valerie and Bethany.  “Oh.  You two.”

“That’s right.  Us.  We were telling your new friend all about your secret.”  Valerie sneered.

Janice started to talk, again, but Gemini held up a hand to stop her.  She walked right up to them, a smirk growing on her face.  “Now, which secret is that?  How many do you actually know?  Or do you just think you know?”  She laughed as the looks on Valerie and Bethany’s faces slowly turned to dawning horror.  “God, you two are so toothless, now!  Amber was the only one of you worth a damn.  She wouldn’t be about to wet her panties like you two look like you’re going to.”

“You’re...Gemini.”  Bethany said, jaw slack.

“Guess who got paroled?”  She grinned, and then swept her hand in a dismissive gesture.  “Now go.  Unless you’re going to do anything imaginative, you’re not worth my time.”

Valerie and Bethany all but ran away.  Gemini smiled as she watched them go.

Janice gave her a side-look.  “This must be what a shark looks like when it scares off a couple seals trying to be top predator.”

“I’m more of a dolphin.  Dolphins are much bigger jerks.”  Gemini pointed to the door.  “The Principal will see you, now.”

“Will see us.”  Janice opened the door.  “You’re gonna sit in one of the waiting chairs.  I’m your guard, remember?  You aren’t getting away so easy.”

Gemini rolled her eyes.  “Fine, if you want to play jailor, I’ll pretend like I can’t slip away whenever I want.”  She followed Janice inside, and, as was asked, took a seat right in one of the waiting chairs, for the entire time Janice was detained by the principal.

 

*****

 

Avril stood in the empty hall, just outside her locker, her heart pounding in her chest.  She closed her eyes and took several deep, calming breaths, letting the air fill her lungs, and then slowly filter out.  This did nothing to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

When she opened her eyes, she gave a brief start, her breath catching in her throat.  Lynneth Card was standing in front of her, a concerned look on her perfect face.

“Hey, Avril!  Are you okay?”  Lynneth asked, putting a hand on Avril’s arm.  “Sorry if I startled you, but Octy said you were looking for me.”

Avril was not sure if she wanted to punch Octavian or shake his hand.  “Yes, sorry.  I was going to find you at lunch.”

“Well, it’s still lunch.  I just found you.”  Lynneth’s eyes were very blue.  Avril was not sure she had seen eyes that blue, before.  It was a familiar shade, but one she could not for the life of her pinpoint.

“Yes.”  Avris held her arm, suddenly feeling much smaller than the other girl, who she was easily three inches taller than.  “You have.”

“Soooo, what’s up?”

“I was wondering...would it, perhaps, be possible if...we could go on a date, sometime.”

Lynneth’s eyes seemed to glitter.  “A date?  You’re asking me out?”

“Yes.  If that is...I mean, if you’re…”  Avril could feel her breath speed up.

Lynneth pushed herself slightly up, and closer to Avril.  She pressed her lips briefly to Avril’s, and then pulled away.  “If you’d taken any longer, I would’ve asked you.”  She said with a slightly bashful grin.

Avril had not entirely processed what had just happened, but she was grinning, too.  “Oh.  Good.”

“Can I have your phone?  We can trade numbers.”

She handed it over, a dreamy smile on her face.  Lynneth punched a few buttons in, and handed it back.  “There.  I texted me from your phone.  Don’t forget to add me!”

“I won’t.”  Avril said, the smile not leaving her face.

“I’m getting back to lunch.  You should get something to eat, too.”  Lynneth kissed her on the cheek, and started away, back towards the cafeteria.  “Later, date-friend.”

Avril waved, and sighed.  She was only vaguely aware of a throat being cleared behind her.  She spun, and saw Senine standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.

“So, this is it.  You’re literally dating the devil.”

“How long were you standing there?”

“...I’ve been here the whole time.  Lynneth didn’t know where your locker was, so I led her your way.  Did you completely ignore me for her?”

“No.”  Avril said, starting for the cafeteria at long last.  “I just did not see you.”

“Suuuure.  That’s the answer, and not that you were enthralled by her satanic gaze.”

“She is not the devil.”  Avril rolled her eyes.  “She’s a very sweet, very nice girl.”

“That’s the best guise for the devil to take.  But you’ve heard this already.”  They headed down the stairs, towards the lunchroom.  They were late enough that there was barely a line.  “Look.  I hope you have fun or whatever, and I hope that I’m not right about her.  You go.  Get yourself some of that demon cheerleader.”

Avril snorted.  “That almost sounded as though you were encouraging me.”

Senine grabbed a chocolate milk and grinned.  “Yeah, I know.  Weird, huh?”

 

******

 

Janice thought of herself as a smart girl, and her test scores agreed with that.  She was inquisitive, logical, intuitive, book-smart, and every other trait a young sleuth-wannabe had to have.

However, at lunch, surrounded by a few dozen wide-eyed teens and pre-teens with CDs, t-shirts, notebooks, paper, folders, textbooks, and more to sign, Janice felt both overwhelmed and very, very stupid.

“Oh my God, it’s Janice Airie!”

“Janice, can you sign this?”

“Janice, is Kara coming to school, too?”

“What about the others?”

“You’re the best drummer, Janice!”

“I mean, it’s not as cool as if the others were here, she’s just the drummer.”

“Oh my God, Janice, you’re my favorite!”

“Is Kismet single?”

“Is Destiny single?

“Is Kara single?”

“Are you single?

“Janice please date me!”

Janice looked to the fans.  “Okay guys this is--hey could you--I mean I need you guys to back up.  I’m trying to eat lunch and--”

“HEY!  JERKS!”  Auggie shouted.  “It’s lunch!  Back up!”

The kids, bolstered by the presence of a famous person, did not pay Auggie much mind.

“It’s no use.”  Cassie said, patting her best friend on the back.  “They’re empowered by fame.”

“This is, like, so annoying.”  Amber frowned.  “Like?  I get it she’s cool and famous but like, do they need to do this?”

June had her head in her hands.  “So many people.”  Faye was patting her on the back, and contemplating howling, if just to scatter the herd.

Gemini stood up, and pushed herself between the crowd and Janice.  “Hello.  I’m Gemini Schumacher.  You may know me as the girl who went to juvie for stabbing a bitch.”  She spoke just over the din of the crowd.  “And you are all disrupting my lunch.  So leave, before you, me, and this--”  Gemini held up a plastic butter knife.  “--have a disagreement.”

The entire group did not scatter, but most of them did, and the majority of the remainder stayed at a healthy distance, though the tables around the Stellar Rangers’ table were still a bit more full than normal.

“Wow, Gemini.”  Auggie looked over at her.  “That was almost decent of you.”

“They were annoying.  I’m busy trying to eat.”

“Well, thanks.”  Janice nudged Gemini.  “I need to stick by you and get in inconveniences that annoy you more often.”

Gemini rolled her eyes, but did not respond.  Cassie and Auggie, however, both caught just a very slight, almost imperceptible, smile on her face.

 

*****

 

“So,”  Senine began as she, Avril, Octy, and Jordy walked home from school.  “Aside from your carnal love of the devil, how’d the first day at Solar City  High go?”

Avril groaned.  “I think your devil accusation is misplaced, as Mrs. Grant seems far more fitting.”

“Right?”  Senine said, walking in step with Avril.  “Though I think she might be a lesser demon, or a misery vampire, or something.”

“I would not be surprised.”

“So, you have her number, yes?”  Octy asked, stepping on the other side of her. 

“Yes.  Thank you, again.”  

“My pleasure!  As your new friend, I would do anything to make sure you have a pleasant courtship.”

“Hey, new girl!”  Came a new, female voice from behind them.

“Oh, God.”  Senine swore as she turned around.  Avril did, too, and saw two people rush up to her.  One was an average height, light-haired girl in a black sundress, and the other was tall, sandy-haired boy.  He was holding a tape recorder, and she was holding a notebook that she was already starting to scribble down in.

“Did you know that this city has a dark side?  You may think twice before staying here!”  The boy said with a heavy dramatic flair.  “There are mysteries all throughout this city.  Did you know that thousands of eye-witnesses say that a castle descended from the sky, onto the farmland outside of town?  And that others say they saw a giant, stomping around outside of it, before it was all destroyed in a massive explosion?  And that the land outside of town in that spot is still closed off by the military?”

“I...have heard something to this effect, yes.”

“And did you know that a dozen people died in a massive, freak fire last year?”

Avril’s brow furrowed.  “I did not.”

“And that a nearby national park had thousands of square feet of forest, blasted by some strange force, heralded by a bright light?  And, the next day, when the forest was destroyed in the morning, it was completely restored in the afternoon?”

Avril felt a little overwhelmed.  “Sorry.  What?”

“Not to even mention the partially destroyed golem they found in the mall!  I’m Malcolm, and this is my partner, Lydia.”  He said, gesturing to himself and the girl.

“Yo.”

“Um.  Hello.”  Avril looked to Senine.

Senine sighed and stepped forward.  “Okay, Mal, Lyd.  You’ve traumatized the new girl enough.  Why don’t you go see if Mothman wants an interview?”

“Mothman doesn’t live in this part of the US.”  Lydia said.

“Exactly!  We’re investigators, looking for the Truth about Solar City.  Care to comment about any oddities you’ve seen?”  Malcolm held the tape record to Avril.

Avril looked to it, and then up at Malcolm, with a brief glance at Octy and Senine.  “No.”

“...I’m sorry?”

“No.  I don’t.  I need to go home.”  Avril turned and started away.

Malcolm looked sort of at a loss, and did not follow as the other teens moved away.

“I did not recognize all of those from what you have told me.”  Avril began, when they were at a safe distance away, and after Jordy had been dropped off on his cross-street.  “But…”

“Are those all things we’re involved in?”  Senine finished.  “Yes, absolutely.”

“It’s good to see that, even in my absence, some things never change.”  Octy said, amused.  “He’s resistant to the memory-manipulation and avoidance spells Mr. Vember uses.  He’s always been entranced by the strange, and it looks as though the events of the past year have given ample fuel to the fires of his imagination.”

“Really,”  Senine added, “the whole castle-ship landing on farmland followed by a literal giant alien tyrant exploding thing’s been huge for him.  I hope those Savage Star jerks don’t do anything to fuel his fire.”

 

****

 

“My love.”  Hal said to Lanessa, exasperation thick in his voice.  “I’ve never been one to question your judgement.”

“I know, my sweet, and it’s very kind of you.”

“However...I’m not certain what dating Avril has to do with our plans, or what tactical solution it gives us.”

“Well, my love, for one,”  Lanessa’s hand trailed along her cheek.  “You aren’t coming to school, anymore.  You’ve lost your source close to the Stellar Rangers in Senine.  This way, I’ll be able to see their general state by proximity.”  She gave Hal a little smirk.  “Besides, she’s pretty, and I don’t see how it’s any different from your tryst with Jordy.”

“I--”  Hal frowned.  “That’s different.  And besides, you’re putting yourself in a potentially dangerous situation.”

“I’ll be fine, my love.  Trust me.”  Lanessa kissed him, and Hal suddenly forgot a bit of why he was upset.  “Speaking of dangerous situations, I wonder if the Rangers will get...suspicious if there isn’t another Savage Star attack?”

Hal frowned.  “Do you think I should call them back?  Arrange another instance of me saving them from an attack?”

“Oh, no, darling.  If you happen to be there every time, why, that’s even more suspicious.  No, we make this seem like a genuine fight, as per their excuse.  Testing their mettle directly.”

“Couldn’t that lead to one of them being hurt?”

Lanessa nodded, putting on her best grim look.  “Yes, but is that not worth the price?  Your star, saved?”

Prince Decembren sighed.  “Yes, of course.  I’ll tell them not to kill.  But, you’re right.  I have no choice.”

“No, my Prince, I am sad to say you do not.”


	6. Episode 6:  A Brutal Binary

June sat on the front steps of school, her head in her hands. Her body was slumped, and her eyes her low. A long, slow sigh moved through her, and when it left, she went even lower. Dark circles were black like bruises under her eyes.

“Hey, Junie.” Auggie said as she sat down next to her. “You doing okay?”

June shook her head. “No? I don’t think I am. I have two days to decide whether I’m going to let someone die young, or do something that might kill him immediately. I want to give it a really cautious try, but, at the same time....I don’t want to watch him die? I’ve watched way too many things to die for a fourteen-year-old.”

“Like, tell me about it.” Amber sat down on the railing near them.

“What if me giving him some power make his star blow up so much it reaches places normally thought safe?” June looked down at the ground. “What if innocents die because I wanted to help?”

“Well, like, then you fucked up?”

June rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Amber.”

“It’s really hard, Junie. I have no clue what I’d do in your position.” Auggie patted her on the back. “But, hey, you have the coolest friends ever, right?”

“Do they, like, go to her old school?” Amber replied. Auggie stuck her tongue out at her.

“Thanks. But…” June smiled weakly at Auggie. It immediately faded. “It feels like no matter what I do, no matter what happens...whenever the Penumbra comes up, I’m alone. I feel so alone with it, sometimes? This is all about me. It’s always been about me. And it sucks. I’m the reason everything bad over the past year has happened to us.”

“Like, so?” Amber got off the railing and walked over to June. “Like, it’s not even your fault? It’s like, should I, like, blame myself for my parents not caring that I don’t live there anymore? Like, maybe I do sometimes, but it’s not my fault. It’s theirs.”

“...Okay, I’m going to say ‘Thanks, Amber’ again, but this time it’s not sarcastic. Thanks, Amber.” June looked up at her.

Auggie smiled at Amber, and was about to say something when her face suddenly fell. She took a step back, and slipped her badge on. “Um, guys? Are we on the lookout for an evil egg?”

June looked around Amber, and Amber turned. She saw exactly what she did not want to see, Layon’s second in command, Shryk.

“Analysis: Conversation refers to trepidation, teenage angst, and parental rejection.” Her single, burning yellow eye swerved to take each girl in account. “Familiar subjects.”

“She’s a Savage Star.” June stood up, slipping her own badge on. “What do you want, Shryk?”

“The same as before. To test. It is my turn.” The egg hovered a bit closer. “You are Volt and Vandal, in addition to Dark Star. Electrical and metal powers, in a single couple. Interesting.”

Amber summoned her Adamant Rifle, and Auggie brought forth her Thunder Batons. June, on the other hand, did not yet make a move for her weapon. “We don’t want to fight. We’ve had to deal with both Stellos and the Puppetrix. We don’t want to deal with you, too.”

The eye focused on June. “The Puppetrix as well. I had not been informed. Interesting. I will file that away. I thank you, for destroying some of our competition.”

“Yeah, well,” Auggie began, “your competition was channeling mega bad powers. Ever hear of Despair?”

The burning yellow eye immediately turned to Auggie. “I am familiar, yes. Interesting. She was more formidable, then, than her reputation had indicated. Layon will be eager to discover this.”

“Yeah? Then go and tell her. Leave us alone.” June stepped forward. “Please.”

“No. I will have to fight you. I will attempt not to kill you, but I make no promises.” Shryk hovered a bit closer. “Are you prepared?”

Amber rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but, like, you forgot one thing?”

“Have I?”

Amber lifted her right hand. Red pulsed around it, and she closed her hand. “You’re made of--”

Nothing happened. Shryk’s eye regarded her, now. “Metal? Yes. I am.” The railings behind them ripped themselves from the ground and floated over to Shryk. They twisted and flowed and moved like a fluid, until they formed a birdlike, humanoid body around her, with long talons and flaring wings of steel blades. There was a flash of silver-white, and a pair of three-bladed, spinning, buzz-saw like devices appeared in her newfound talons. Her head, now resembling the skull of some alien bird, pointed to Amber, a single burning yellow light flaring to life in one of its empty eye sockets. “We have similar stars, Junior Ranger Vandal. Mine also gives me power over metal. However, I have more experience, and my burning heart gives me more power. I am made of metal. And I will not be crushed with a wave of your hand.”

 

****

 

“I do not understand why you need to be here.” Avril said from her spot, leaning against the wall in the weight-training room in the high school. Senine was here, also leaning against the wall, her hand outstretched. The sounds of something impacting a soft, padded surface echoed through the room.

“I have to weigh the bag down.” Senine explained. “Or else Faye’ll punch it right out of its moorings.”

Faye was in the rough middle of the room, standing in front of a punching bag, wearing a tank top and shorts. She was rapidly, methodically, and expertly punching the bag. The bag itself was covered in duct tape, including a few fresh spots that were not at all coincidentally on the same side that Faye was punching.

Avril made a face. “Could you not just hold it?”

“Hey, if you want to try, go ahead.” Senine said, “Hey, Faye-Faye, Avril wants to try to hold it.”

Faye pulled out her earbuds and turned to Senine. “Huh?”

“Avril wants to try to hold the bag.”

“Oh!” She turned to Avril. “Are you sure? I hit pretty hard.”

“I’m sure.” Avril took up her position and braced herself against the bag.

“Okay, but I’ll warn you--I’m usually at the bottom of the pyramid for a reason.”

Avril did not take that seriously until the first punch came and nearly knocked her off her feet.

Senine saw her surprised expression and laughed. “She did warn you. She’s at the bottom of the pyramid for a reason.”

Faye gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry. I work out a lot. Plus, my star makes me get a lot more bang for my buck.”

“When Stellos got all huge and gianty? She blocked one of his punches. Without breaking anything.” Senine’s expression could not be more bemused.

“Oh. I see.” Avril released the bag. “I suppose you could’ve lead with that.”

“You are exactly correct. I definitely could have.”

Avril glared at her. “Stop being smug.”

“Honestly, Avril, that is never, ever, in my entire life, going to happen.” Senine extended her hand, again. “Okay, sweetie, it’s secure again.”

Faye nodded and put her earbuds back in. She started punching away, and for the first time, Avril noticed just how toned the shorter girl was.

“Faye is fucking ripped.” Senine said.

“Yes.” Avril turned away with a slight blush. “She is.”

“So, you know why I’m here, so, why’re you here?” Senine asked.

“I wanted to be more social. Are you supposed to be here?”

Senine shrugged. “No one’s chased us out. We’re students, this is our room, too. It’s not like football players own it.”

“Faye is not a student here.”

“I won’t tell if you...” Senine’s eyes caught something at the door, and she immediately stood up. Faye saw it, too, and pulled out her earbuds.

Standing in the doorway was the Supreme General of the Savage Stars. “Training, even after instruction? Commendable.”

Avril had already summoned her sword. “Layon.”

Senine stood, summoning her hammer. Faye’s claws manifested, their blades gleaming in the light above. Layon looked right at Faye’s claws, a peculiar look crossing her face.

“Let me guess.” Senine stepped forward, her hammer resting over her shoulder. “You’re here to test us.”

“Yes. I am.” A golden aura flared around Layon, and a pair of claws appeared on her arms, claws almost exactly like Faye’s. “Vex is your code name, yes? We have nearly-identical stars.”

“So, you probably shouldn’t hold the bag for her, either.” Senine said.

“Yes, thank you, I gathered that.” Avril replied. Neither of them took their eyes off Layon.

“Come out, into your indoor arena. There is more space, there.” Layon turned, and walked out of the room. The three rangers followed, and saw her in the center of the basketball court, stretching.

“I will try not to kill you. But, if I am in the heat of bloodlust, I make no promises.” Layon stepped into a fighting stance. “Whenever you’re ready, we will begin.”

 

*****

 

Auggie dodged to the side in a blur, just as a hail of long, sharp, spear-like blades came down in her previous location. She rushed for the metal bird, but found only a wall of steel where she tried to attack.

June had her Eclipse Blades in hand, and tried to fire a bolt of darkness at Shryk’s eye. A shield immediately appeared and blocked it before any harm could happen.

“No Penumbra? Interesting.” Shryk lifted one of her spinning blades and hurled it at June. The weapon spun at rapid speed, but at the last minute, veered away from her. Amber had her hand out, and sweat pouring from her brow.

“Do you think I am not a threat?” Shryk asked, the blade returning to her talon. She took a step towards June, Rotor Blades raised. “I am more than capable.”

A massive bolt of lightning struck the Savage Star, only to dissipate harmlessly into the ground. She turned her light towards Auggie, whose batons were still sparking.

“Shoot, she’s grounded!” Auggie took a step back.

“Yes.” Shryk’s eye fixed on June, again. “Show me the Penumbra.”

“No.” June held her daggers tightly.

“Explain.”

“It’s not a toy. It’s not something to just be used.” She glared at Shryk. “We don’t need it for just one of you.”

Shryk’s blazing yellow eye narrowed. Her wings flared out behind her. “You absolutely do. You will die without it.”

“Sorry.” June’s daggers crackled. “I guess I won’t have to live with your disappointment.”

Even without facial features, June was completely certain that Shryk was glaring at her. Her wings flared again, and then flowed out into dozens of long, metal spears. Her Rotor Blades hovered into the air and began to spin even faster. “You will require the Penumbra to avoid these.”

“Amber.” Auggie took her hand. “Remember the golem guy?”

Amber nodded, and squeezed Amber’s hand. She lifted her Adamant Rifle with one hand, and Auggie steadied the barrel. She fire the bayonet out, the chain trailing behind it, right for Shryk’s eye.

The blade was deflected to the side, and hit the ground behind Shryk. “Pathetic. Curious. Unimportant.” Shryk pointed at June. “Change, or die.”

“No.” June said, and then fired a blast of light, and then a blast of darkness,again aiming for Shryk’s eye.

“My optics are unaffected by you. So be it.” Every single spear, and both Rotor Blades, all shot towards June at one. Right before they launched, an electric current jolted through the rifle, and the chain attached to it.

June had her hand ready to draw the Penumbra from her chest. The black and white fire was gathering, but she was too late--or she would have been, had the assault not suddenly halted in the air.

Shryk’s eye widened. Her spears and weapons were shaking in the air, obviously trying to advance, but being pulled slowly back. Two more bayonets formed and then launched from the Adamant Rifle, anchoring themselves to Shryk’s sides, and electricity crackled along them.

“E-electromagnet?! Cooperative magic in Junior Rangers?!” Shryk exclaimed, obviously startled. Her weapons jerked back, closer to her.

Amber was bleeding from the nose. Her face was even more pale than normal. Still, she managed to smirk. “Like, duh?”

June’s body flared with black and white fire. “The Black Sun blazes within me! You stand in my judgement.” She held out her hand, which glowed even brighter with flashing light and was consumed in deep darkness. “Brilliant Darkness Execution!”

Shryk released her forward thrust, and all of her blades came back towards her, right before a brilliant and dark fireball erupted around her.

“Holy shit, Junie.” Auggie said, releasing the rifle and patting her on the back. She put her other arm around Amber’s waist. Amber was using Auggie to keep standing.

“Yeah.” June felt a little light-headed, but not awful. “It’s basically a replacement for the Brilliant Darkness Evolution since, you know, I was using that one wrong.”

Amber started to say something, and then stopped. “She’s. Still there. I like, feel her there.”

June’s eyes snapped back to the place she had blasted. A shell of warped, broken metal hovered before her. The blackened, partially molten metal fell away, revealing Shryk’s egg-body in the middle.

“Impressive. And even without Penumbra. Still, you are weak.” The eye moved to Amber. “Your metal heart nearly died, just keeping up with me enough to barely avoid your deaths. Your cooperative magic only just prevented Dark Star’s death. And your non-Penumbra power has only inconvenienced me. You have been tested and found...wanting.” The eye rested on June.

“Perhaps, the Penumbra is all you have.”

June took a step back. “That’s not true.”

“It is the only thing that makes you noteworthy. It is, undoubtedly, the only reason you have had victories thus far.” The blackened, warped metal beneath her started to straighten itself out and form new shapes, another birdlike framework. “Your skill is impressive, for your ages...but not sufficient.”

“L-l-like...” Amber took a deep breath, and raised her hand. “L-leave J-june alone.”

“Or what, inferior?”

“Y-you have, like, lots of wires in you. M-mostly plastic.” Amber glowed very slightly. “S-some metal. I c-could start pulling them.”

“No, you could not. You have nothing left. I am grounded, and I am in control of my body. Aside from the trick you cannot repeat, you are powerless.” Her blades returned, and her wings flared. “Disappointing.”

Amber glared. The dull red glow around her grew.

“Sweetie, no. Cassie’s not here.” Auggie tried to pull Amber back. “You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

Amber continued to glare. She lifted her hand up, and pointed at Shryk. “I...I...” Underground pipes began to strain and push against their bonds.

“Amber, stop. She’s trying to rile us up.” June said. “Don’t do something stupid.”

“You what, Inferior Heart?” Shryk’s beak had returned, and her eye now once again burned in the empty skull of her frame.

“Amber, babe, don’t.” Auggie said, voice increasingly worried.

“I...I...” Amber took a deep breath. “Iron Maiden.”

Pipes shattered and shot up from the ground, long slivers of metal launching towards Shryk with deadly accuracy. Half of them stopped dead in their tracks, and most of the rest just deflected harmlessly around around her.

However, three shards struck her in the side. None stuck in her, but three deep gashes were now torn in the side of her shell, revealing a hint of some strange glow inside. Shryk took a step back, her skull-head pointed at the gash in disbelief.

“...Unexpected. Unprecedented.” She stepped back. “And not even the bearer of Penumbra.”

Amber could barely keep her eyes open. Auggie was pulling her away. June stepped between Shryk and them. “Are you satisfied?”

“For now. Yes.” Shryk’s metal additions fell to the ground, leaving the egg -shaped part to flow freely. “Layon will be very interested in this data, despite no sign of the Penumbra. Goodbye, Junior Rangers.” Shryk’s shell glowed briefly, and then she disappeared in a shower of sparkling energy.

Amber went limp in Auggie’s arms. June pulled out her phone and practically yelled into it, “Dial Cassie!”

 

******

 

Layon stepped back to avoid a smash of Senine’s hammer, one that shattered the boards beneath them. She swiped her claws to deflect Avril sword, and kicked behind her, striking Faye in the chest and knocking her away.

Avril kept moving, slashing her sword repeatedly at Layon. The Supreme General blocked every single swipe with minimal effort, though she made no real attempt to attack, herself. Senine threw a Crusher Ball at Layon, who dodged it. Before Layon could go to her original position, Senine charged, swinging her hammer down with as much force as she could.  
Layon caught the head of the hammer, her arm jerking back, but not breaking. She thrust back against Senine and released it, sending her sprawling back and into the wall. Avril rode a burst of water back, and stood in front of Senine with her sword raised.

“You know,” Senine began, pushing herself to her feet, “I hated it when the Puppetrix caught my hammer, and I kind of hated it when you caught my hammer.”

“The Puppetrix?” Layon raised an eyebrow. “You’ve encountered her?”

“We’ve killed her, so, yeah, pretty much.” Senine re-summoned her hammer. As she did, Faye leapt onto Layon’s back, wrapped one arm around her neck, and raised another to stab her claw down. Layon replied by reaching back, removing, and throwing Faye in one fluid motion. Faye flew through the air and landed in a crouch next to Avril. She lifted her head to the sky and howled.

Avril and Senine immediately felt bolstered, and started to advance. Layon replied by lifting her head and roaring.

A few hundred thousand years of fears repressed by society and advances like fire and shelter flooded back to Senine and Avril. It was a feeling of being forcibly shoved to the bottom of the food chain, of being tapped into some horrible primal awareness that there were almost certainly things, lurking in the dark, just waiting to prey on them.

On the other hand, Faye felt like she had just wandered into a bigger, stronger predator’s domain and received her one--and only--warning to back up. She made a small whining noise and backed up, head and posture low, and hid behind Senine.

Layon watched them carefully. Despite her fear, Senine was standing tall, and though her hammer was shaking, she held it in front of her. Avril’s sword was in a defensive stance, and she kept darting her eyes to the shadows, but she, too, stood tall. Faye stepped out from behind Senine, claws ready. She took a deep breath, and then howled again.

Layon matched it with a louder roar. The rangers shrunk back, but not as far, this time. Faye howled again, longer. Her claws glowed with yellow light. Avril got into position for a burst of water. Senine began to chant.

“Hammer of the dying star, grant me the power--”

Layon cut her off with another roar. She was taller, now, and her feline features were significantly more pronounced. Her muscles grew, and her teeth and natural claws grew larger.

“--grant. Grant me the power to destroy my enemies.” Senine started to charge forward, and Avril followed suit, though she quickly jetted past her on a burst of water, coming in for a wide slash to Layon.

Layon dodged, and spun-kicked, hitting Avril in the back and knocked her stumbling forward with a cracking noise. Senine leapt towards her, the Pulsar Sledge’s head pulsing with condensed gravity. “Dead Star Smash!”

Layon did not try to catch it, this time. She leapt backwards, out of the way of the finishing move’s impact. It crushed the floor beneath her, shattering a wide swath of the gym’s hardwood floor.

Faye leapt over it and slashed her claws out at Layon with a feral snarl. Layon batted her away, and then stumbled back, just barely managing to dodge another swipe from Senine.

“Enough.” Layon said, and there was enough command in her voice that even Senine stopped. Avril was getting to her feet, making an obviously pained expression. Her sword was ready, regardless of any cracked ribs she had.

“You have promise.” Layon reached up and dabbed her nose. There was a small cut across the bridge, which stained her fur with blood. She gave it a contemplative look. “You have skill.” She was back to normal, now, and her claws were gone. “If you are lucky, along with those, maybe they will save you.

“Shryk. If you’re done, take me away.” As she said this, she was surrounded by a shimmering glow, that faded in a shower of sparks.

“...I almost died, fighting Stellos and the Puppetrix.” Senine said, dismissing her hammer. “And I did not feel like I had been so completely fucking owned like this until today. You okay, Faye?”

Faye nodded. “Yeah. Just...it’s like every instinct I have is on edge. I’ve never really felt like a mouse, before. But right now I feel like I just turned the corner with a whole cheese wedge and found a really big cat!”

“I’m fine, by the way.” Avril glared at Senine.

Senine poked Avril on the back, and she let out a yelp. “Except for some broken ribs?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, let’s get Cassie and regroup with the others.” Senine pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened. “Okay, change of plans. Slippery When Wet, do you think you’ll be fine until we reach the tower?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good. Come on, Amber’s hurt from fighting another one of them.”

 

*******

 

June sat in one corner of the library, with Faye on the floor next to her, half-draped over her lap. She petted her girlfriend’s head idly as she watched and listened to the others.

Senine, Octy, and Janice were sitting around the table with Mr. Vember and Leah. Cassie was still healing Amber and Avril, and Auggie had not wanted to leave Amber while she was doing so poorly.

“See,” Senine began. “This is what I was talking about, with the Stellar Swords. The Stellar Swords were all about abusing the fact they could use their powers as much as they wanted to without repercussions and they basically all brute forced everything. These guys are different. They’re both stronger than the Stellar Swords and they’re way way way more skilled. Christ, I’m pretty sure Layon spent the entire fight playing with us.”

“I have been doing some research, since you’ve brought word of the Savage Stars.” Mr. Vember said, voice grave. “They’re renowned for being both efficient and brutally effective. They are feared throughout at least our quadrant of the galaxy. Their officers are their strongest fighters, though they have a force of soldiers, mostly composed of normal star hearts that are also set to burn out, giving them basic power-star-like capabilities.” He looked out the window. “I have asked for reinforcements, but we are unlikely to get them, unless they do anything that could be considered an act of war against the planet.”

The door opened, and Auggie came in, sitting down next to her brother. “Okay, I’m here, sorry. Amber finally started insulting me, so I think she’s gonna live. How screwed are we?”

“Completely.” Senine said.

“Oh, great, more good news!”

“...Why did they run from Stellos?” June suddenly asked from the corner. Everyone turned to look at her, save Faye, who was lightly dozing.

“Miss Hespia,” Mr. Vember began. “I’m not sure what you mean. Baron Stellos had a large, impressive army and a large force of highly trained soldiers.”

“Yeah, but...” June frowned and sat up a bit more straight, though she was careful not to wake Faye. “The Savage Stars we’ve fought--alone--could have wrecked all of the Stellar Swords. There are two that...we don’t even KNOW what they do, or the extent of any of their powers. Senine’s right, they were playing with us. Shryk was only barely concerned when we actually hit her AND survived something that’s been at least sort of fatal without a scratch. They definitely could have taken Stellos and his army, even without the Penumbra. So why did they flee him?”

“Maybe they were freaked about the Puppetrix?” Auggie suggested. “I mean, when we mentioned we beat her, Shryk was both surprised and like, complimentary. She was definitely someone they knew and probably knew about how tough she was.”

“The Puppetrix’s employment, Miss Levey, as far as I can tell, was a recent event.” Mr. Vember said, frowning. “And, while he had a puppet in his employ, I recall you saying that this was a shock to him, as well.”

“...I believe I have the answer.” Octy said, standing for the proper dramatic introduction. “There’s a saying that says someone is only as good as their enemies.” Octavian began to pace. “Could it be that they left Stellos alive simply because it improved their reputation? That they could say, ‘I am the enemy of the fallen hero of the Stellar Rangers, and yet, I am not only alive....’” He made a grand, sweeping gesture. “‘I am thriving.’”

June looked to Octy, and then down, her mouth in a hard frown. “I don’t understand them. But they’re dangerous. Mr. Vember, could...” She refused to look up. “Could Hal...do something about them? Use political connections or...something to get them away from here, or arrest them, or something?”

Senine was looking right at June. June knew this, and could not acknowledge her.

“...Yes. He has no kingdom, no peoples, but the name of Bellasar still carries weight, and has many old allies and very deep coffers.”

“...Do you think.” June began, stopped herself, and then continued. “Do you think if. I feel like something’s going wrong, with giving him energy, if I’m careful, that I could. Stop it. Do you think I could give it a try if he says he’ll take care of the Savage Stars for us, before they really hurt one of us?”

“No. Fuck no.” Senine said, standing up and striding towards June. “Don’t give in--”

June’s eyes snapped up, and Faye woke with a start. She locked eyes with Senine. “He was your _friend_ , Senine! How can you just let him die like that? He could keep Faye from dying, or Amber, or Avril, or Cassie, or any of our other friends! I have to try.”

“I...” Senine took a step back, the wind immediately leaving her sails. “I’m.” She turned and rushed out of the room. Faye immediately stood up, and looked between June and Senine several times before rushing after her adopted sister with an apologetic look for her girlfriend.

June looked back down. “I don’t want anyone else to die because of the Penumbra. I want....I want it to have a purpose that isn’t...isn’t destroying things. Maybe. Maybe with Hal. He can keep people like that from coming here. I just have to try. Is it possible, Mr. Vember? Can I...can I just, stop, if bad things start happening?”

Mr. Vember let out a long, weary sigh. “To tell the absolute truth, Miss Hespia...I do not know. My wife may have hosted it, but you are now our reigning expert on Nemesis and the Penumbra. The judgement call, unfortunately, is yours. All I can say is, yes, with a normal star heart, under normal circumstances, yes, it is possible.”

“But I’m not normal. I’m something else.”

“...Well,” Janice said, from her spot at the table. “I can try doing research? Maybe we can find out more about what Nemesis is actually made of, where all that dark light stuff comes from. I can try to drag Gemini and Cassie in on it, too. Maybe we’ll have an answer or something by the time you make a decision.”

“...Yeah.” June stood up and started out of the room, in the opposite direction from what Senine had taken. “Yeah, I guess.”

 

*****

 

Senine never felt worse than when she was crying. She was at the base of the tower, near the entrance hall, standing in an alcove with her arms wrapped around her chest, trying as hard as she could to make it so her sobs were not audible.

The moment she heard fast steps behind her, and the sound of Faye calling her name, She choked down the weakness as best she could, wiping her eyes on her shirt.

“Senine! There you are!” Faye ran into the alcove, behind her. “I was really worried, are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I’m just a hateful, vengeful bitch who’s willing to let one of her best friends die just because she doesn’t agree with him.” Senine turned to Faye, and tried very hard to force a smile. “Just an awful person, like normal, doesn’t care about anything but her personal satisfaction. The usual.”

Faye launched herself forward, and wrapped Senine in a big, tight hug. Senine went stiff for a moment, and then her smile became more genuine.

“She didn’t mean it.” Faye said, looking up at the taller girl. “She’s just been stressed, she didn’t mean it.”

“No. No, I think you’re wrong.” Senine ruffled Faye’s hair. “When people snap like that, they usually mean it. Or something like it. I feel...so angry, that Hal is trying to survive? I’m so mad. I’m more angry about that than him cheating on Jordy. Why...why does some prince get to come in here, take advantage of my best friend, and lie to us all and...and...” Senine’s eyes started to water again. “Why does he get to live? Why does he get to escape dying young while I...I’m doomed. It’s not fair.” Senine said, her voice getting softer as she echoed, “It’s not fair.”

Faye did not stop hugging her. Senine hugged her back, and she let herself cry like she wanted to, like she was barely resisting doing in the first place.


	7. Episode 7:  The Dark Light of Nemesis

“Here’s something!”  Janice said, from her seat at the main table in the Tower’s library.  A large stack of books sat in front of her, some of which were open to various pages, and all of which were full of bookmarks.  “Apparently, three great heroes were given weapons, empowered by Nemesis, like, ages ago.”

Cassie got up from her place, which had three books open, directly in front of her, and moved to look over Janice’s shoulder.  “It also says they became ancestral weapons, afterwards, and...”  Janice and Cassie both visibly drooped.  Gemini glanced at them from over a tome as big as her torso.

“And what?”

“And they were all lost.”  Janice sighed.  “To the children of Despair.  Except for one, which is in the hands of the Kingdom of Frost.”

“Who, from my other research, we know are both extremely isolationist....”  Cassie began as she moved back to her seat.

“...and live literally on the edge of the universe, so even if we could contact them and ask them what the hell the deal even is with the Penumbra,”  Gemini set the massive book down.  “And we can’t, they wouldn’t talk to us, anyway.  Great.”

“It seems like the Penumbra has an affection for musical implements.”  Cassie looked a bit closer.  “The weapons were a flute, a conductor’s baton, and...something that translates to violin-harp.”

“That’s fascinating, but useless.”  Gemini rolled her eyes.  “How can there be almost nothing on the Penumbra?  It’s widely known in lore from around the universe.”

“You’re the one who gave me that brain teaser.”  Janice said as Cassie moved back to her seat.  “But you don’t have an answer either.”

“No.”  Gemini said, extremely grudgingly.  “I’ve read some lore on the Penumbra, but no one seems to have a solid answer on what the dark half of it is.”

Leah entered the room with a large pot of coffee and three mugs on a tray.  She had dark circles under her eyes.  She set the tray down and moved to another table in the library with its own stack of books.  “Any luck?”

“Unfortunately, no.”  Cassie said as she poured herself a cup.

“There’s some neat poetry about it, but it’s probably not canon.”  Janice let her head drop and hit the book below.  “How much time do we have?”

“It’s four, so...we have about eight hours before June goes to meet with the Prince.”  Leah sat down and opened a random book.  “Dad isn’t finding anything, either.  He’s going through all the things we don’t have clearance on but a big book of Nemesis facts doesn’t seem to be one of them.”

“Eight hours.”  Cassie echoed, and then started flipping through one of her books.  “We’d better hurry.”

 

******

 

Five hours later, June left her room, dressed for the day in a t-shirt and a pair of snug black jeans.  She had not spoken to Senine since the meeting after the Savage Star attack, which just added to the reasons she felt utterly miserable about what she was about to do.

As she stepped out, she saw Julius sitting at the kitchen table.  He looked up at her the moment she entered, a weak smile forming under tear-reddened eyes.  “Hey, sis.  You ready for today?”

“No.”  June walked to one of the cabinets and removed a box of chocolate-filled cereal. 

“Is this...going to be really dangerous?”

“I don’t know.”  June took a handful of the cereal and shoved it in her mouth.  “Maybe.”

“...Let’s go back to Ferrimont.”  Julius looked up at her.  “I’ll get a job and you don’t have to do this Stellar Ranger stuff anymore.”

June stopped mid-chew and stared at Julius.  She swallowed and said, “What?”

“You shouldn’t be in this much danger.  Mom and Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to let you do this.” 

June winced.  “But I’m helping people.”

“You’re fourteen.  You shouldn’t be doing dangerous things like this.  I shouldn’t have done this in the first place.  The woman on the phone said that Solar City was an easy assignment, I didn’t think you’d actually be fighting.”

“I have the Penumbra.  I’m always going to be a target.”  June put down the cereal box.  “Stuff like this is always going to happen.”

“Maybe it wouldn’t have if we hadn’t come here.”

“Maybe I would have fucking exploded, Julies.”

Julius’s attention immediately moved  to June.  “Hey, watch the language.”

“What, Mom and Dad would’ve hated it?  Mom and Dad are dead and it’s a miracle I didn’t kill them.”  June snapped.

“Damnit, June, I’m supposed to be taking care of you and you’re just walking off to die every time you get the chance!”

June looked down.  “I’ve protected you, too.”

Julius looked entirely defeated.  He stood up, his hands at his sides.  “I just worry about you, all the time, nowadays.  You can’t even go on vacation without someone assaulting you.  Leah talks about her mom, what Novias says about her.  The instability.  How she destroyed an entire city, and...I wish you could stop.  I wish there was a way I could take it away from you.”

“I wish I could stop, too.  But it’s a part of me, Julius.  I have to accept that, because if I don’t, it’s going to destroy me, like it destroyed Leah’s mom.  I have to accept the responsibility of someone with the Penumbra.  With Nemesis.”

“What is that?”  Julius looked his sister in the eye.  “That every single monster that comes here, looking to fight you, gets to?  Why can’t you let the others take care of it?”

“Because what do I tell their parents if they die to protect me?  If Amber dies, and I could have won, what do I tell Auggie?  Her adorable little sister?  Hell, even her parents?  How do I look Auggie in the eyes, ever again, if I could have saved them?  Mom and Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to just sit by and let evil happen.”

“Just be careful, okay?”  Julius slumped.  “Because you’re right and I know you’re right and you’re capable, but you’re my little sister and...you’re the only family I have left, June.”

“I know.”  June hugged her brother, and he hugged back.  “I’ll be careful.”

“That’s a fucking lie.”

June giggled, actually smiling genuinely as she said.  “Hey, watch the language.”

 

******

 

It was a little after eleven when June arrived at the Tower.  She and Julius passed through the library, briefly, and saw that Auggie, Amber, Faye, and Avril had joined the research.  Cassie was nodding off in her chair, and Gemini had an empty pot of coffee directly in front of her.  Janice had three empty energy drinks on the desk, and more by her feet.

“Hey guys.”  She said, waving.  “Any luck?”

Julius moved over to Leah and rubbed her back.  She gave him a grateful look, and then turned to June.  “No news.  Not even enough news to tell if that’s good news or not.”

Faye got up and scurried over to June, giving her a big hug.  “Hi.  Be careful, okay?”

June gave her a weak smile.  “I will.  I have some great bodyguards coming with me.  Even if one’s probably pissed at me.”

Faye kissed June on the cheek.  “They’re waiting in the office.”

“Okay.  I should go.  Wish me luck, guys.”  She waved, and disappeared into the hall.

As she left, Cassie stood up.  “I think...”  She wavered on her feet, and then turned towards the shelves.  “I think there’s something I should look at.  I didn’t...I think I...”  She glowed for a moment, sparks of green infusing her.  Her eyes opened a little wider, and her movements were a bit more steady.  “I think there’s one more thing I could look at.”

“Woah, Cass, is that a good idea?”  Auggie put a hand on her shoulder.  “You’ve been awake and burning power for like, thirty-six hours.”

“No, no.  I’m fine.  There’s one more thing.”  She turned and vanished into the sea of books, with a concerned Auggie and Faye following behind her.

 

****

 

June entered the office, and saw that Mister Vember looked just as tired as everyone else had.  Octavian and Senine were here as well, Octy giving her a bow and Senine giving her a nod of acknowledgement.

“Ah, Miss Hespia.”  Mr. Vember gestured for her to come closer.  “You’re just in time.  I was discussing the protocols for you to follow while there.”

June stepped a bit closer.  She glanced up at Senine, who looked at her and gave her a slight grin.  “Basically instructions for us to save your ass, if it needs saving.”

“If you ever feel like more is being asked of you than you feel comfortable with, or if you feel as though you are being pressured, find Octavian or Senine and they will insist, as full Rangers, you be allowed to have your own say in this.”  Mr. Vember said.  “Under no circumstances are you to allow Prince Decembren to separate them from you.  They are your bodyguards, and also, your official Stellar Ranger liaisons.  I will be here as well, and if you encounter something too difficult for them to deal with, or if he insists any higher authority, I can teleport there, or bring you all back her, at a moment’s notice.”

June nodded.  She felt like her insides were empty.  “Is...that likely?”

“No, fortunately.  Senine and Octavian are also likely not necessary, but I refuse to let you in there with no protection.  I know that you are, in all likelihood, not ready, but, would you like to travel there soon?  You can leave whenever you wish.”

June looked to Octy, and then to Senine.  Senine took her hand and squeezed it.  “We won’t let you not be safe.  We’re with you all the way, June.”

She looked back to Mr. Vember and nodded.  “I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be, I think.”

 

****

 

At fifteen to noon, June, Senine, and Octavian found themselves in a large, ornate room with white walls covered in intricate red and silver banners.  Large, overstuffed couches lined the circular walls, and were also placed in a roughly concentric pattern, all the way to the middle of the room.

Prince Halloway Decembren was here, along with a vaguely serpentine figure in a long, black robe with a hood pulled over his face and a single, glowing, red eye.

“Ah, June!  Welcome to my ship!”  He gestured around him.  “It’s not exactly a floating castle, but I like to think it’s fairly impressive.  This is my advisor, Grim.”

“Greetingsssss.”  Grim hissed, scanning each of the Rangers in turn.  June could pick a distinctly unhappy tone out of his voice, even in that word alone.  “I sssssee you have brought a ssssecurity detail.  It isssss unnessssesssary.”

“Regardless, my dear Advisor.”  Octavian said, bowing with all the deference he could muster.  “We, as full rangers, have a duty to keep our junior safe, just as you do to your Prince.”

“We have no sssssoliderssss of our own.”  Grim glanced up to the Prince.  “But you should know, we have ample defensssssessss.  An attack will not go unsssseen or undefended.”

Hal rolled his eyes.  “Grim, enough.  I’m in no danger from these people.”

Advisor Grim bowed his head.  “Forgive me, my prinsssse.  Will...will Lady Lanessssa be joining you, for thissss?”

Senine immediately looked at Hal on mention of her, and watched the blush in his cheeks as he replied, “No, she will not.  She said she had other things to attend to.”

“You know, Advisor.”  Senine said, turning to him.  “I’ve just met you, but we both seem really goddamn frustrated with Hal, so I think I like you.”

“Well, at any rate.”  Hal said, stepping forward.  “June, have you decided?”

June nodded.  “Yeah.  I think I have to at least try, but, if things start to go wrong, I reserve the right to bow out at any moment.  But, if I help, I want you to try to keep the Savage Stars away from us, using any political or economic power you might have.”

“That will not be a problem.  C’mon, we need to go to the observatory.”  Hal turned and started for a large, ornate door on the wall.  “Grim, stay here.  We’ll be fine.”

Grim nodded.  “Yessss, my prinssssse, but be careful.”

“I am careful.”  The prince said, a defensive tone to his voice.  He then lead the Stellar Rangers into a hall, one lined with tapestries and hangings, most of which depicted star charts and stylized fire, along with images of knights, dressed in the same silver and red regalia that Hal wore.

“Sorry about all the pageantry.”  Hal looked over his shoulder at the others.  “It’s kind of an empty gesture without people here.”

“So sad.  Who’s Lanessa?”  Senine asked, a dark look in Hal’s direction.

“She’s...another of my advisors.”

“She the girl, isn’t she?  The one you’ve been seeing behind Jordy’s back.”

Hal rolled his eyes and made a frustrated noise.  “That’s not important, now.  I’m trying to prevent one of the most destructive events in the natural world, and the destruction of my entire kingdom.”

“So, then...”  Octy glanced around.  “Everyone jumped ship, I take it?  Save Lanessa and Grim?”

“I don’t blame them.  They wanted me to follow, but a prince’s duty is to his land.”  

“Not his people?”  June asked.

“My people are safe.  My father’s kingdom is not.”  He came to a large, ornate door, dominated by a massive, red star in the center, made of inlaid rubies.  He pressed his hand to the door, and the rubies lit up, causing the door to crack down the middle and slowly push open.

“I’m sorry.”  June whispered, looking up at Senine.

“Don’t get all mushy on me, Hespia.”  Senine smiled at her.  “I’m sorry, too.  Let’s just get this over with, and then we can forget all about the whole me-having-emotions thing, okay?”

June grinned.  “Right.”

The door fully opened, and Prince Decembren lead them into a large, open chamber.  The walls were lined with monitors, each of a size and resolution that completely boggled June’s mind.  They displayed many things, including numbers and graphs and gauges, but, more prominently were pictures of a red star, its surface churning and flaring with a high frequency and turbulence.

Yet, they were nothing compared to the device at the center of the room--a massive, circular contraption with several points on which hand-holds could be seen.  In the center was a projector, showing above it a completely realistic and accurate  hologram of the star in question that took up over half of the space available in the room.

“That’s it.”  Hal said sadly, staring up at the star.  “Bellasar.  Where my heart is linked.  We have stabilization satellites circling it, and we have a stasis field around it.  We’re draining one of the closer planets of its magma core to power it.”  He looked back at June as she approached the hologram.  “This is a live feed.  Magic is great for circumventing speed-of-light and all that, there’s only a few second delay.”

“That must be...sympathetic magic?”  Octy glanced at the system.  “Powering it by your own blood, then?  Well, one can’t say you haven’t spend blood, sweat, and tears on this.”

“Yeah, and other fluids, with this Lanessa person.”  Senine mumbled.

“You’re right, Octy.  Luckily, it doesn’t need too much blood.”

“Damnit.”  Senine mumbled again.

June looked up at the star.  “None of them are working.  The stop-gaps.  It’s on edge, all the time.  You always feel like it could hit at any moment.”

Hal said nothing, only followed June’s gaze to his star once again.

“Okay, so.”  Senine clapped her hands together.  “We should start, right?  Prince Cheater, what does June need to do?”

“You see those handles?”  He asked, to which June nodded.  “I’m going to grab them, and then you need to.  Then, just, concentrate on feeding the machine energy.  It’ll use its link through my blood and my star heart to give energy directly from the Penumbra to Bellasar.”

“O-okay.”  June stepped to one of the set of paired handles, and saw that it had many small spikes on it.  “Is it...going to hurt?”

“It’s going to sting, but it’s not going to pierce your skin.  Losing the energy will be very exhausting, very quickly.  But don’t worry, once we’re done, I’ll have the robots prepare a feast in your honor.”

June closed her eyes.  She nodded.  “I’m ready.”

 

********

 

Cassie burst out from the one of the aisles and ran to the table.  “We need to stop them immediately.”

Auggie ran after her, visibly pale.  “Definitely.  Like.  Immediately-immediately, we don’t have time to explain, it’s go time now.”  She grabbed Cassie’s hand, and they both zoomed out of the room, towards Mr. Vember’s room.

“Mr. Vember!”  Cassie said as the door slammed open.  He jumped in his seat.

“Goodness, child, what’s wrong?”

“We have to stop them.”  Cassie was breathing heavily.  She jolted herself with another burst of life energy.  “Now.  They’re going to destroy Bellasar.”

“Alright, I’ll start preparing the teleportation spell.  What’s the issue?”  He began to gesture, and energy gathered around him.

“Nemesis, and the Penumbra is half light.  But it’s...”  Auggie began.

“It’s anti-light.  Pure night, as some call it.  From Beyond the Night.”  Cassie finished.  “When that enters Hal’s star, it’s going to start consuming it even as the light bolsters it.  It’s going to tear that star apart.  None of the lore told us, but, while we were researching Despair, I remembered reading about it.  They have...anti-matter furnaces, belting out energy that cancels light.  Things that do not make sense to us, do not work under our physics.”

“My god.”  Vember said under his breath.  “If that’s true...”  The spell began to take shape.  “Nemesis, and the Penumbra, are more powerful than we have ever anticipated by far.  And for pure night to exist, here?  Inside the universe as we know it?”  Cassie and Auggie began to glow.  “Go quickly, before it’s too late.”

 

They vanished in an instant, and found themselves in the prince’s lobby.  Grim was there, immediately turning his single red eye to the two girls.  “Why do you dare--”

“No time.”  Auggie interrupted.  “Junie’s star is way way more dangerous than we--”

Grim opened the door and was already slithering down it.  “Come, now.  Quickly.”

Auggie and Cassie looked to each other and then shrugged and rushed after the advisor, who was managing a rather impressive pace.  “I knew thissss idea would lead to disssassster.  He doessss not lisssten to me, only that witch Lanesssssssa.  If anything hassss happened to--”

The entire ship shook, and then the door at the end of the hall shattered, and a blast of white-hot plasma erupted towards the advisor and the junior rangers.

 

****

 

June did not completely understand this feeling, whether it was sorrowful or joyful, ecstatic or horrifying.  She only knew what it was, even before Hal released the machine and stumbled back, cradling his chest, and the air around him started to burn.  She was feeling Bellasar start to die.

The first wisps of energy had been fine.  The star had shown marked improvement, even.  Then, however, she had given more, and that’s when the flares had grown, when the turbulent surface expanded and raged, and Hal had begun to scream.

Octy and Senine were on June in an instant.  Senine grabbed her and covered her as best she could.  Octy extended his hands, and summoned a whirling wall of wind that swirled around the three of them at high speeds.  June felt intense heat wash over her, hot enough to burn her exposed skin.

The feeling in her--anticipation or fear, perhaps--started to subside, and with it, the heat died, as well.  June looked through the windwall, and, as it faded, she did not see Bellasar on the screen, or in the hologram, any longer.

In its place was a star that she knew was larger than any other star.  In the center was a core of darkness, of pure, impossible darkness, shielded from any consequences of its impossibility by an outer aura, a blazing white aura of bright, pure light that looked, in some ways, even harsher, even less natural than the horrible darkness within.

She knew that this was her, that this was Nemesis.

The image faded as soon as she had seen it, and the world snapped back to her at that same moment.  She was aware that Senine was shaking her, shouting at her in a blind panic.

“I’m...I’m fine.  Where’s...”  June looked to where Hal had been, and saw him kneeling in the center of a pool of molten metal.  Someone was hovering next to him, a woman in a black cloak, hood drawn low over her head.

 

Auggie looked down the hall, at the point they had been standing, and saw a small grove of charred trees and blackened stumps, and beyond, white-hot metal and charring.  She had managed to pull Grim and Cassie back just in time.

“Oh, wow, that does not look safe to go through.”  Auggie said.

Grim shouted a command, and the ship complied, flooding the corridor with some sort of foam.  Steam rose into the air, and he immediately darted forward, again, Auggie and Cassie in his wake.

 

June could see that the woman was not helping Hal up--instead, she looked to be whispering to him.  Hal stood on shaky legs, and he strode out of the molten metal, past the ruined remains of the device.  “June, are you okay?”

June nodded.  “I...th-think so.  Are you?”

He looked down at himself.  Heat was washing off of him, and even from a distance it was almost unbearable.  “My star...downslid.  Very heavily.  I’ve lost...years, maybe.  I might only have...months, weeks, unless it stabilizes.  I don’t think it’s still degrading as fast.  But, if nothing else, we’ve learned something for when we try again.”

June felt a pit in her stomach.  “When we what?”

“Oh, no fucking way are you doing that again.”  Senine growled.  “Hal, if we weren’t here, you would’ve burned June to a cinder.”  There were burns on her face and hands, worse than the ones on June.

“Agreed.  This is far too risky.”  Octy was sitting on the air.  “I’m sorry--I truly am, Hal, I don’t believe we can help you.”

“It’s not your call.”  Hal said, desperation creeping into his voice.  He stepped towards June.  “We can do this--it was working at first.  We just need a different approach.  Please, June.”

At that moment, Grim burst into the room, followed by Auggie and Cassie.  The junior rangers rushed to their friends, giving Hal a wide berth, as Grim made his way to his prince.

“You can’t.”  Cassie said, putting her hands on June and Senine and starting to heal them both.  “The Penumbra, as well as nemesis, are half composed of pure night, an energy that nullifies light and heat.  It will tear your star apart--it’s already begun to do so.”

“Pure...my prince.”  Grim got as close as he could without actively getting burned.  “Pure night is an energy from Beyond.  You cannot allow it in your star.”

Halloway looked between his advisor and the group of rangers in disbelief.  “You’re giving up already?  Look, you can just...try giving me the light part of the Penumbra.  Just the light energy.  That should work, right?”

“That’s not how it works.”  June said, her senses much more clear.  “Even without summoning the Penumbra, Nemesis wants me to stay in balance.  It’s hard to fire two dark blasts in a row, nevermind channeling all the light I have into you.  My star just won’t let that happen.”

“There has to be a way.”  Hal insisted.  “You told me you’d help me.  I need your help.”

“I said I’d try.  I tried but...but I didn’t.”  June took a moment to collect herself.  “I barely put anything in there, Hal.  I think...I think Nemesis doesn’t work well, with other stars.  I think the only thing that can exist with her energy is her.  Me.”

“My Prinssssse.....”  Grim knelt before him.  “This was foolhardy and destructive.  The ship has suffered substantial damage.  We should return home.  Gather what we can.  Let you...”  He sighed.  “Let you choose a successor, among our people.”

Lanessa hovered over to Hal, unbothered by the heat.  She whispered in his ear, and the entire time, June could not help but to watch her.  Hal’s hands balled up into fists.  “No.  We have to try again.  We don’t have another choice.”

“Prinssse, sssstop lissstening to the ssssscorpion on your shhhoulder and lissssten!”  Grim tried to advance, but the heat kept him away.

“Please, June.”  Hal’s tone was pleading, but there was a hard edge to it, something she had not heard in him before.  “Please, I’ll do anything.  I want my kingdom to live.  I...I want to live.”

“I want to help.  We all want to help.”  June shook her head.  “And we can try, any way we can.  But not this way.  Not the Penumbra.”

“...Grim.  Seal the ship.”  Hal turned to him.  “Contact the Savage Stars and tell them to get here immediately.  To restrain June, until she’s willing to listen to reason.”

The rangers all had a very similar shocked expression on their face.  Senine, eyes wide, was the first one to speak.  “You...the Savage Stars work for you.  You hired them to make you look better.  To..to fucking.  Trick us into thinking we needed your protection.”

Hal’s hard edge faded, slightly.  “I didn’t want to.  I don’t want to do this.  But you’re not listening to reason.  I have to protect my kingdom.  There’s no other way.  We’ve tried everything else, and it’s never worked.  Nothing keeps my star alive.  This is it.  It’s all I have left.”

“Mayhap, my friend, you’re the one not listening to reason, and, with friendship, you always have more left.”  Octavian took a step forward, cool air swirling around him as he stepped into the heat.  “Hal, please.  You know this isn’t right.  For all of your faults, I’ve never known you to be anything but noble.  Perhaps a bit rash, but you’re not a bad person.  You’ve been hasty.  Reconsider.”

Hal paused.  He looked Octavian in the eyes, and then he looked back at Lanessa, who June could still not take her eyes off of.  He then turned to Grim.  “Why are you still standing here, Grim?  I gave you a direct order.”

Senine lunged forward, grabbed Octy, and pulled him back.  She held her badge tight in her hand and shouted, “Vember, take us back, now!”

Blue-white light surrounded them, and in the time it took Hal to manifest his sword, they were gone.

 

*******

 

“I can’t believe he did that.”  Senine said, from where she was pacing through the library.  “I cannot  _ fucking _ believe he...he hired mercenaries!  And he was just going to turn them on us when June made the only decent decision available--aka to say hell no I won’t do that.”

“Well, at least we found out what it was?”  Janice offered.  “That’s a victory for Schumacher, Schumacher, and Aerie:  Research Buddies.”

Gemini groaned.  “We aren’t calling it that.”

“We are absolutely calling it that.”

“If only we had discovered it earlier.”  Cassie frowned from her spot next to Octy.  “We were there in just enough time to do...nothing of note.”

“Hey, we were just unlucky.”  Auggie patted her on the shoulder.  “That’s all.”

“Like, pretty inconvenient unluck!”  Amber said from the floor in front of Auggie.  “Like, literally could not get any worse.”

“At the very least,”  Avril looked to June, who was looking off at nothing in particular.  “We know our enemy’s face.”

“Hm?”  June looked up.  “Oh.  Yeah.”

Faye hugged her.  “It’s gonna be okay.  Mr. Vember and Leah are trying really hard to find some way we can get the authorities on him  We’ll have backup!”

“Not...likely, actually.”  Senine sighed.  “Nothing that’s bad enough that the local authorities wouldn’t be the ones responsible for what he’s doing.  That’s us, in case that wasn’t clear.”

“Like, what do you have to do for, like, the space feds to get involved?  Or, like, other ranger outposts or whatever?”

“Well, Rusty, we’d have to be able to prove that Hal and his pals were a danger to the planet itself--or, at least, somewhere that isn’t Solar City.”  Senine made a frustrated noise.  “And, of course, Hal’s not going to do anything like that.”

June said, out of nowhere.  “Lanessa.”

Everyone looked at her.  June seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in.  “Lanessa, the woman whispering to him.  There was something off about her.”

“He...did seem to get more aggressive the more she spoke to him.”  Cassie looked to Auggie and Octy.

Octy nodded.  “I thought he was going to listen to me, for a moment, until she whispered in his ear.”

“But who is she?”  Janice asked.  “And why encourage him to do something like that?”

“Well, for one, Grim said that this whole thing was her idea.”  Auggie added.  “Maybe she’s playing him?  Manipulating or hypnotizing him or something.”

“Maybe we should try researching her?” Gemini looked to Janice.  “She’s probably not going to be in these books, but maybe Vember will let us use some of his space contacts.”

“Maybe.  The Research Buddies can do anything.  Also, the name sounds weirdly familiar to me.”

Senine sat down on the table.  “If we get rid of this Lanessa, or at least show Hal he’s a dumbass for listening to her, and if she’s the reason he’s being an ass, then maybe...maybe we can end this.  But, in the meantime, he’s going to be sending the Savage Stars after us, and we know those guys are trouble.  Any ideas how to fight them?”

“If they’re burning their hearts out, all the time...”  June said.  “Maybe they’re really strong and really skilled, but if we push them hard enough they’re going to be forced to either retreat or start tearing themselves apart from the inside.”

“So we fight defensively.”  Senine nodded.  “Yeah, that could work--or, at least, buy us some time.  I’m not dumb enough to think we’re the first people to think of that.  Hal’s also a problem.  If he gets desperate enough to fight us, he’s going to be strong.  A lot stronger than before.  So, if we fight him, leave him to me.”

“I do hope we don’t.”  Octy frowned.  “He’s being a jerk, but he was our friend.”

“Yeah.”  Senine muttered.  “He  _ was _ .”

 

*******

 

Halloway Decembren stood in his room, his shirt off, and heat shimmering in the air around him.  He put his hand on the wall, and then pulled it away as he noticed it start to visibly blacken under his touch.

The door behind him chirped, and he called out, “Enter.”

Light cut through his darkened room, and a voice behind him said, “You asked for me, my lord?”

“Yes, Layon.”  He turned around to face the Supreme General directly, and it did not escape his notice that her eyes were drawn to his chest before his face.  “I’m glad you came so quickly.  You and your people are to have a more involved job.  I need the Penumbra.  You’re to acquire June Hespia by any means necessary.  I would prefer it if you didn’t kill, but...”

“I understand.”  Layon said, looking Hal in the eye.  He was not sure he could look in her eyes for long--there was an intensity behind them, something wild and fierce.  “We will do our best to avoid needless death.  You will have the bearer of the Penumbra.”

“And also, I most likely don’t need to tell you this, but, don’t do anything that could get us in more trouble with the Stellar Rangers.  We just want the locals.”

“Of course.”  Layon gave a deep bow to him.  “Is there anything else?”

“No.  Rally your troops.” Hal looked down at his hands.  His right hand was currently glowing with white-hot flame.  “I’ll leave your tactics to your discretion, but understand that time is a major concern.”

“Of course.  I will take my leave.”  Layon turned, and exited the room, out into the hall.  As she started back for the transportation lounge, a voice called behind her.

“He’s handsome, isn’t he?”  Lanessa stepped up beside Layon, walking in step with her.

“Yes, my lady.  He is.  For an Earth-born.”

“I’m glad he ended up handsome.  There’s a certain prestige in conventional beauty, I’ve found.”  Lanessa smiled wistfully, and turned to Layon.  “Do you understand your orders, as they coincide with mine?”

“Yes, my lady.”

There was an odd buzzing noise, and Lanessa reached into a blue distortion in space, removing a cell phone.  She glanced at it with a slight grin.  “Aw, that’s sweet.  Avril says she misses me, and that she’d like to have another date, this weekend  She says she was reminded of me.  That’s a code I implanted in her on our first date.  It means the Stellar Rangers have picked up on my interference, and mentioned me by name.”

Layon’s eyes widened.  “Is this trouble?”

Lanessa laughed.  “Oh, no, dear, sweet Layon.  It means things are proceeding exactly as planned.”


	8. Episode 8:  Wherever Home May Be

Amber stood in the training room, her rifle at her shoulder.  She aimed at a dummy on the other end of the room, and fired three shots in rapid succession.  Each one veered away from the dummy at the last moment, and vanished harmlessly when they struck the back wall.

Amber swore under her breath.  She gestured next to her, to a small pile of long, metal spikes.  She lifted, and threw them all at the dummy at once.  Each one veered away from the dummy at the last moment, and vanished before she could strike the wall.

The stack re-appeared next to Amber.  She lifted her hand, and the spikes turned to chains.  She gestured once more, and the chains shot forward.  However, once again, they spun off, into the wall, and vanished.

She made a frustrated noise and advanced on the dummy, firing shot after shot, ratcheting another round into the chamber each time, until she was right in front of it.  She lifted the rifle and stabbed it forward, at a range she could not miss at.

And yet, she did.  The bayonet just barely missed its target.

“I am not certain I understand.”  Called Avril from the entrance to the room.  She was dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants, and had her sword over her shoulder.  “Did you have Mr. Vember tell the room to frustrate you?”

Amber glared back at her.  “Like, no?  I told him to give the dummy, like, a copy of my powers.  So, like, it can be like fighting Shryk?  But, like, it’s not real so it never runs out of power and, like, can’t make mistakes.”

“I fail to see the difference.”

“Ugh, whatever.  Is it your turn?”

Avril shrugged.  “Yes, but, there’s enough room for us to both use it.”  She gestured to another corner of the wide, open room.  “I’ll set up, there.  I won’t be moving much.”

“Whatever.”  Amber started to walk back to her starting position.  Avril started to move, and Amber said.  “Hey, you, like, might not want to train in the same direction bullets are going to be?  Especially if I’m deflecting them?”

“Do you always do that?”  Avril asked as she changed direction, instead setting up in a corner next to Amber.  Five dummies rose from the ground around her, each of which was built on a swivel with a long, outstretched, padded arm.

“Shoot?  Yes?  Like, it’s my weapon.”

“No, I meant, talk to people like they’re idiots for asking the question.”

“Oh.”  Amber had started to raise her rifle and then lowered it.  “Like.  Sorry.”

“Mm.”  Avril slashed out at one of the dummies.  Instead of spinning and lashing back, the dummy behind her spun to strike her back.  It solidly thumped her and knocked her forward.

“Like, that Jakil guy, right?”

“Mm.”  Avril said, readying her sword, again.  She lashed out at the same one, and summoned a wall of water to slow the one behind her.  However, one of the ones to her side lashed out, this time, smacking her again.

“Like, where do you get the water?  Do you, like, take it out of the air like Auggie does with electricity?”

“Yes.  Sometimes.”  

Avril rolled her eyes.  “Like, do you always do that?”

“When I don’t have another source, yes.”

“No, like, I mean, saying just enough to answer a question like you, like, want to make the other person leave.  I was, like, here first?”

“Oh.”  Avril regarded her for a moment.  “Sorry.”

“No...Ugh, it was like, fine?  Sorry.”  Amber frowned.  “Auggie says I don’t, like, talk to people well unless I’m, like, being abrasive or something.”

“Mm.”  Avril slashed out at the dummy next to her.  Both it and the one in front of her turned to hit her.  When she blocked them, the other three immediately swung at her, all smacking her in turn.

“You’re, like, going to be covered in bruises, you know.  Even if these things can’t hurt us bad.”

“That is, in part, the point.”  Avril glanced over at her.  “This is an exercise in awareness, more than anything else.”

Amber thought about that for a few moments.  “So, like, getting used to being attacked from everywhere?”

“Being able to be aware of attacks from all sides, yes.”  

Amber turned to the metal spikes.  She lifted them into the air, and then they started to split and twist and curl on themselves, until they were, instead, thousands of small, metal balls.  She lifted them into the air, and then, rather than throw them at the dummy, she began to pelt herself with them.

Avril made an alarmed noise.  “What are you---Stop that!”

The first time they hit her, she nearly dropped all of them.  Amber kept the bulk of them up, and struck herself with them again, trying, as her whole body stung, to keep pelting herself over and over again, striking from all sides at once.  If she was not in the training room, she could be seriously hurt.  Even now, though, she felt small bruises start to form, and even then, she tried as hard as she could to not drop the balls.

Something cold and wet washed over her, and then shoved her out of the way.  She suddenly felt her concentration drop, much like a few thousand small, metal spheres, plinking off the ground and vanishing.  Avril was standing over her, and both of them were now dripping wet.

“What the hell was that?”  Avril gestured and suddenly, both of them were dry, again.

“Like, I was gonna ask the same thing?  I was doing awareness, like you.”

“No, you were giving yourself a black eye.”  Avril reached down to help Amber up.  “I imagine your parents will have choice words for that.”

True to what Avril had said, Amber’s right eye indeed showed signs of blackening and bruising.  She did not take Avril’s hand, and stood on her own.  “One, I was trying to keep, like, concentrating, even with, like being assaulted?  And two, my parents?  Don’t see me these days.  They’ve written me off.  I live on Auggie’s stupid couch.”

“...Because you’re gay?”  Avril said as though the realization actively hurt her.

“No.  I’m not gay.”  Amber said, extremely defensively.  “They don’t want me around because I’m magic.  But if I WAS gay, and I’m not, they wouldn’t want me around then, either.”

Avril was quiet for a moment, and then said, “I know what that’s like.”

“What, did you get kicked out because you’re magic?”

“No, I got kicked out because I am gay.  But if I they had known I’m magic, they would have likely also kicked me out.”

Amber re-summoned her rifle.  “Like...I almost wish they’d, like, actually kicked me out?  I just left.  And they never looked for me.  It’s been, like, months.”  She lined up a shot and fired at the dummy, and got another near-miss.  “I left a note for them and they’ve, like, never even called.  Hera--that’s, like, my little sis--says she’s, like, not supposed to talk to me, anymore?”

Avril did not say anything, but she also did not move away.

“It sucks.  It sucks, because they’re my parents, and they, like, told me they love me all my life?  And now, it’s like...”  Amber fired the bayonet from her rifle, chain trailing behind it.  As it passed the dummy, it curved, to try to entangle it with the chain.  The chain snapped, and the bayonet and links were thrown in all directions.  Amber summoned another bayonet.  “Like, I thought they were nice and good but like, no?  They’re only nice and good if, like, you’re what they think is nice and good.”  She fired another shot. “And it sucks.”

“...Yes, it does.”  Avril moved back to her training area.

“So, like...is that why you were homeless?”

Avril nodded, and gave a few experimental slashes in the air.  One of the dummies behind her turned and smacked her on the back.

“Oh.  I guess, like, I’m lucky to have Auggie?  Her dad, like, took me in pretty quick for some reason.”  Amber put her gun down.  “I guess, like, other reasons, too.”

“Perhaps he is just nice?  But not in the way we thought niceness existed.”

“Yeah.”  Amber looked at the floor.  “Yeah, I guess.”

 

*****

 

Amber was sprawled out on Auggie’s bed, staring at the ceiling, a few hours after her training session.  “Why did your dad let me stay here?  He, like, has enough problems with you and Octy here.”

Auggie was at her computer, currently leading a team of valiant goblins to victory.  “Because you didn’t have anywhere else to go.”  She glanced over her shoulder.  “You didn’t have a home, so he let you stay here.  I mean, someone else probably coulda.  I think Cassie’s family has rooms they haven’t even seen before.”

“So, like, is it just because we’re...”

“You can say dating.  We’re literally the only people here, and everyone knows.”  On Auggie’s screen, something exploded, and the goblins cheered.

“Together.  Or whatever.”

“You’re my friend, even if you weren’t my girlfriend.  Aaaand, also, in interests of honesty, I didn’t exactly tell Dad we were dating when I asked if you could stay here.”  Auggie got a guilty smile.  “I wanted you to be closer, so I just said you were my friend getting out of a bad situation.”

Amber stared at Auggie for a second.  She then stood up, walked over to her chair, and hugged her.

“Woah, you’re being affectionate?  Stop the presses.”  Auggie put a hand on Amber’s hand.

“Shut up.”  Amber said, her tone very slightly affectionate.  “Nerd.”

 

*****

 

Although she was wearing nice slacks, nice shoes, and a dress shirt, Avril felt severely underdressed for the restaurant she stood in front of.  While not many people were entering it, those who were all left expensive cars for the valet, and tended to wear nice dresses and expensive suits.  She was also fairly certain that she was the youngest person here by at least half a decade.

“It’s pretty fancy, isn’t it?”  Lynneth said, stepping up to Avril.  She was wearing a simple black sundress and sandals.  Avril had not heard her approach.

“It is...very fancy.  I’m not sure the diner pays me enough for a place like this.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.”  Lynneth smiled at Avril and took her hand.  “I can pay for both of us.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure!  My dad’s money is just burning a hole in my pocket.  I want to impress you with it.”  Lynneth, who did not have a father, lead Avril inside.  It was exactly as Avril had pictured places like this, with white walls, marble statues, even a fountain in the waiting area.

“It’s like something from a movie, huh?”  Lynneth nudged Avril, who nodded.

“I didn’t think places like this existed.”

“My theory is that they designed it to look like a movie place.”  Lynneth pulled Avril with her to the maitre’d.  “Two for Card?”

He took two menus and led them away, to a table on an upstairs balcony, where the late summer evening sun cut across their table from its spot, low on the horizon.  He lit a candle on their table, as well as two gas lamps flanking the open doorway.

“...We have a private table?”  Avril said, a bit of wonder creeping into her otherwise stoic voice.

“Like I said,”  Lynneth took Avril’s hand, again.  “I really wanted to impress you.”

Avril blushed.  “I will have to make it up to you.”

Lynneth snapped her fingers, and Avril’s eyes went glassy.  “You can start by telling me if you’ve found anything out about someone called Lanessa.”

Avril slowly shook her head.  “No.  Not that I know of.  I’ve been training to fight Jakil and the other Savage Stars.  But they would have told me if we’d found anything critical.”

Lynneth grinned.  “Good.  Send me the code, ‘Miss you’ with a heart if you find out anything else.  And, of course, you won’t remember why, or realize why you’ve done that.”  Lynneth snapped her fingers, again, and Avril shook the fog out of her brain.

Their waiter arrived very soon after that, and took their drink orders.  Avril started to go through her menu, but kept looking up at Lynneth.

“This is somewhat sudden, but...”  Avril took a deep breath.  “I’m here because my parents kicked me out of my home.  Because I’m a lesbian.”

“Oh, sweety!  That’s awful!”  Lynneth took her hand with both hands.  “That’s why you’re staying with June?”

Avril nodded.  “I thought I would let you know.  My parents have been...contacted and, aside from confirming who I am, they’re in no hurry to do anything more for me.  I’ve had to request another birth certificate and social security card.”

“I’m so sorry.”  Lynneth patted her hand.  “That’s just the worst thing a parent can do.  But...what brought this on?  Telling me, I mean.  It was sort of out of the blue.”

“I had a conversation with Amber, today.  I’ve been keeping it to myself, mostly.  But I wanted to tell you.”

Lynneth put on a practiced blush and squeezed Avril’s hand.  “I’m happy you trust me.”

The waiter arrived and took their orders, and then left.  Lynneth snapped her fingers, again.  “Tell me, Avril, do you love me?”

Avril nodded, expression blank and hazy, but with a very slight smile.

“Would you die for me?”

She nodded again.

“Would you put your friends in danger, kill for me?”

She nodded one more time.  “Yes, Lynneth.  All of that for you.”

She snapped her fingers, and Avril shook it off, again.  “Are you alright?  You seem a little spacey.”

“It’s been a long day.  I did a lot of fencing practice.”

“Oh, I wish we had a fencing team you could be on.”  Lynneth grinned at her.  “Maybe you can show me how to use a sword, someday.”

“If you want.  I’m probably not a very good teacher.”  Avril said with a shrug.  The waiter came by and gave them bread and salads.

“I’m really glad you’re here.”  Lynneth smiled as genuinely as she was capable of at Avril.  “Even if that’s selfish of me.”

“It’s for the best that I’m not there, anymore.”  Avril smiled back.  “And being here has definite advantages.”

“Yes.”  Lynneth snapped her fingers, again.  “You’re my favorite mole, after all.”

 

*****

 

Amber laid on the couch, staring at the ceiling.  She sighed, and rolled over on her side, but sleep did not come any easier.  She reached for her phone, resting on the living room table of the Levey’s one-story residence and unlocked it, quickly sending a message.

“june.  you up?”

There was a five minute pause before she got a response.  “Yeah.”

“can you do me like a favor”

“Sure.  Whats up?”

“i want you to like take a note to hera”

“I can drop it off before school or something thats no problem.  Miss her?”

“yeah like duh of course”

“Shes asked me about you a few times.  You know you could probably find her in school.”

“but like if mom and dad find out she could get in trouble”

“I wont tell on you and I dont think she would either.”

“cant i like get her to live here”

“Not unless your parents kick her out too.  Theyll come for her if she leaves unfortunately.”

“i used to like hate sharing a room with her”  Amber was crying, despite herself.  “i wanted more space but now its like its not home without her you know”

“Yeah I get you.”

“i wish i hated my parents but

“idk

“like it feels like i did something wrong i feel guilty af sometimes”

“You know Hera still thinks your magic is really cool.”

“wait she still knows i thought mr vember took care of that”

“Your parents know, unless they try to tell someone about it.  They dont remember why youre gone when talking to other people but their feelings about it are still there.

“Thats what Mr. Vember said anyway.  Because you didnt want to take it away.”

“yeah.

“because like

“idk i dont want a reason to go back there and like

“pretend they didnt hate me the moment i was weird”

“But he talked to Hera.

“And she never stopped loving her magic big sister.

“So he didnt see a reason to wipe her mind or change her memories he just explained the situation.

“So she loves you Amber even though you have magic.  Shed probably love you even if she knew about you and Auggie.”

Amber put her phone down on the table and stood.  She walked through the house, to Auggie’s room, and knocked on the door.  A few moments later, a very sleepy looking Auggie opened the door, rubbing her eyes.

“Amber?  What’s up?  It’s like 3am.”

“Can I, like...come in.  Just for, like, a bit.”  Amber sniffled, and then wiped her face on her pajama sleeve.

“Oh, shoot, you’re crying.  Yeah, come in.”  Auggie opened the door, and Amber immediately stepped inside and hugged her.  Auggie shut the door behind her.

“Sorry.”  She said, not letting go.  “Sorry.  I just, like...”

“Shhh, it’s totally okay.  Do you want to sit down?”

Amber nodded, and Auggie led her to the bed, where they both sat down.  Auggie hugged her again and smiled at her.  “So, you wanna talk about it?”

“I...like...I miss my sister.  And my parents?  And I feel, like, super dumb about it.  And like it’s my fault, and, like....you and everyone have been, like, really good to me?  And I, like, hated you all for, like, so long?  And I was, like, really mean to Faye and now I’m...”  She sniffled.  “And now you, and like, me.”

“Hey, all that’s okay.  You’re becoming a better person.  And in case you missed it, I like you.  A lot.”

Amber looked up at her.  “Why, though?  We’ve hated each other, like, since third grade.”

“I dunno.  I matured, I guess, and so did you.”  Auggie kissed her on the forehead.  “And now, we’re doing whatever we’re doing.  And it doesn’t need a name or a label or anything if you don’t want it to, okay?  Dating, friends, a thing, it’s all good to me.”

Amber rested her head on Auggie’s shoulder.  “Yeah.  Okay.  I, uh.  I, like...”

Auggie smiled.  “You don’t have to.”

“No!  I, like, am, like...”  She took a calming breath.  “I like never get to say it, you know?  Like, I want to, like, say it, for once.”

“Take your time.  Deep breaths.  Minimum likes per sentence.”

Amber rolled her eyes.  “I...I like you, too.  Like, a lot.  For some reason, cause, like, you’re a super nerd.”

Auggie stuck out her tongue.  “Yep!  And you like that, too.”

“I guess.  Hey, like...do you think your dad would be, like, super pissed or something if I slept in here, tonight?”

“Probably not.”  Auggie pulled away to slide down the bed and patted next to her.  “C’mere.  This bed’s way more comfortable than that dumb couch.”

“God, like, really?”  Amber slid in next to Auggie and immediately cuddled up to her.  “I like have fiddled with those springs so much?  And, like, nothing changes.”

“Are you messing with things again?!”  Auggie rolled her eyes.  “You’re gonna break everything!”

“I am no.  I, like, know what I’m doing.”  Amber gave Auggie a pout-glare.

“We aren’t talking about this.  We’re going to sleep.”  Auggie turned around in bed, so that Amber was pressed into her back.

“Whatever.”  Amber got a bit more comfortable, and yawned.  “Nerd.”

 

*****

 

Layon sat in the officer’s lounge, next to Wreqluze.  “So, they haven’t been able to detect you, yet?”

“No, Supreme General.  I am safely hidden away as I observe them.”  She drank a bit from an overly large mug and set it down, before wiping the blood from her mouth.  “I have concluded that Volca is the most viable target.  She lives alone, without any other junior rangers, and also, with only her mother and a domesticated canine, so there are a minimum of civilians to endanger.  Vital also lives without another ranger, but, her home is teeming with noncombatants.”

“Hm.  Good.”

“There is, however, one complication.”  Wreqluze took another slip of blood and chocolate slurry.  “She’s been staying rather late at the tower, recently.  She’s even been spending the nights there, occasionally, along with Vital.  It’s not a major handicap, but I can’t watch them inside.”

Layon nodded.  “She’s still the most viable target.  Very well, continue as planned.  It’s about time you and they were introduced.”


	9. Episode 9:  Fire and Wind, Earth and Space

Jordy sat at his computer, attempting to create a house in a crafting game.  He had been trying to assemble a spiral staircase for half an hour, but it never quite turned out the way he wanted it to.  He had a tutorial on his phone, and kept re-reading it with a perplexed look, and then going back to the staircase.

This time, however, when he looked at his phone, he saw that he had a new message, from Hal.

His stomach turned a knot, and his heart skipped a beat.  He took a deep breath, and pulled up the message.

“Hey.”

“hal?

“where have u been????

“youre not at school and senines pissed @ you.  she keeps getting more and more pissed too.”

“I’m sorry, Jordy.  I haven’t really been a great boyfriend, huh?”

“no no no its my fault i was too needy.  i shouldnt have asked senine to do that im sorry.”

“She’s right, Jordy.  You aren’t the only person I’ve been seeing.  Only...I’ve been seeing them for longer than I’ve known you.  I just never told you.  I’m sorry.”

Jordy stared at that text for what felt like an eternity.  “oh.”

“There’s no excuse for it.  I just kept doing it and doing it.  So, if you want the truth from me, at all, just ask.  It’s the least I can do for doing this to you.”

“who is she?”  Jordy was not sure he actually wanted to know.

“Her name is...Actually, come to your window, for a sec.  Look up.  It’ll be easier to explain, that way, and I owe you an explanation for everything.”

Jordy was wondering if Hal was in a tree, or hanging from the roof--it would not have been the first time for either of these things.  He got up, and went across his room, to his window, and looked out of it.

He had not expected looking out of his window and seeing a large, red and silver object, hanging just under the clouds, in such a way that it was unmistakably a vehicle of some kind.

Jordy was fairly certain he was looking at a space ship.

“I’m a Prince of a kingdom far, far away.  In another solar system.  In fact, my kingdom IS that solar system.”

Jordy looked to his phone, and then looked back up to the ship.  “im sorry what”

“I also have magic fire powers.  I can explain everything--you deserve to know everything.”

Then, as Jordy watched his phone, Hal told him everything.

 

******

 

That afternoon, June was at home, messing around on her guitar in front of a raptly attentive Faye, when both hers and Faye’s phones buzzed at once.

June put her guitar down onto her bed.  Faye pouted.

“Oh, but I wanted to hear more!”  She pulled her phone out of her purse.

“I’ll play more later.”  June grinned and unlocked her phone.  “I’m glad you liked it!”  She scrolled through, and found a message from Senine.  It was titled ‘Look at this bullshit’.

It went to a link, that in turn went to a website called ‘Solar City Strangeness’.  The top story on this site, written by one Malcolm Talbot, had a picture of a spaceship, hovering above a very recognizable skyline, with a long blog post underneath it.

Faye got up, and looked out the window.  “Oh.  It’s...still there.”

June followed her to the window, and there indeed was Hal’s ship, floating above Solar City.  “That’s...probably going to give Mr. Vember a headache, huh?”

Faye nodded.

Their phones buzzed again, and they saw that a rant from Senine had arrived after the link.

“Hal told Jordy everything.  Absolutely everything, except it’s from Hal’s stubborn jerk perspective, so I have a billion texts from him asking why June isn’t helping him.  He’s also depressed as hell because Hal told him about Lanessa, too--except, no info we can actually USE about her!  This is a Mess.  More on it as Hal fucks up more.”

June visibly slumped. Faye hugged her, and rested her head against her shoulder.

“This is going to get worse before it gets better.”  June’s eyes did not leave Hal’s ship.  “We don’t even know how bad it is, now.  We have no idea how bad it is, but it’s going to get worse.”

Faye looked up at her.  “But it’s gonna get better, Junie.  It has to.  We’ll save the day like we did with Stellos, and the Puppetrix.”

“With the Puppetrix, we ended up killing, like...a girl our age.  Who was just being used, by a dead god.  And with both of them, we all almost died.  I don’t think everyone’s going to make it, this time.  We’ve been lucky too much.”

“No one’s going to die.”  Faye said, voice firm.  “We’ll find a way to save everyone.”

“...But you don’t know that, Faye.  They could push me hard enough that I--”

“But you won’t.”  Faye pulled June’s face to look at her.  “You won’t explode.  It’s going to be fine.  Everyone’s going to live.”

“...I want to believe that.”

“Everyone’s going to live.”  Faye insisted, again, voice tinged with desperation.  “We’re going to make sure that it ends that way.”

June said nothing.  She watched the ship, and Faye clung to her, for another half an hour, when the ship disappeared above the cloud line.

 

*****

 

Gemini leaned back in her chair in the library, her phone to her ear.  She sighed.  “You have to come back, Jan.  Octy’s here and I can’t take any more of them being sappy.”

“Sorry Gemma, Mom’s getting sad and worried that I’m not at home anymore.”  Janice’s voice said.  “But hey, maybe he can be a substitute research buddy.”

Gemini rolled her eyes and put her feet on the table.  “No, he’s like, negative one research buddy.  And also, we’re still not calling us that.  Anyway, he makes it so Cassie doesn’t get any work done.  I shouldn’t be the only person not slacking, I’m the bad twin.”

“I woulda thought your innately competitive nature’d make you relish the chance to get ahead of her.  Or, wait, are you upset that she’s having romance and you aren’t?  I can’t ever tell what the thing you’re actually mad about is.”

“I’m mad because I’m alone in the library and my sister and her dumb boyfriend are off making out or telling each other sonnets.  Probably the second thing.”

“Listen, I--”  Janice began, and then her phone cut off for a moment.  “--break or something for a while if you’re mad you have to research.”

“Did you go through a tunnel or something?”

“I’m walking.  I’m not a morlock or a hobbit, I don’t live underground.”

Gemini leaned back dangerously far, now.  “Maybe you’re right on the break, though.  I could call June and see if she wants to hang out or something.”

“Seriously.”  Janice’s words dripped with incredulity.

“Why wouldn’t I be?  We’d be a perfect couple.”

“Why, because she’s strong and you like strength?”

“Exactly!”

“She’s not your biggest--oh, damn it.”

Gemini leaned back forward.  “Damn what?”

“I got distracted talking and missed where I was supposed to turn, I think.  So, that’s some havoc you’ve wrought.”

“It makes me feel a little better that your day’s worse because of me.”

“You’re the swee--” Janice’s phone cut out again. 

“I think there’s something wrong with your phone.”  Gemini took her feet off the table and stood up.  She moved over to one of the Tower’s windows.

“Yeah, not sure what.  Aw, heck.  Looks like I made the wrong turn, again.”

“Shouldn’t you have a good sense of direction or something?”

“I don’t have that sort of earth powers.  I’m not magnetic, I’m seismic.”

Gemini smirked.  “I hear they have a cream for that.”

Janice’s voice came through in a garbled mess.

“Hello?  Jan?”

“--how I got this lost.”  Janice cut in.  “I’m at least three blocks from where I should be.  My GPS is really messing--”

Her phone cut off entirely.  Gemini frowned, and looked out the window, catching sight of Prince Decembren’s ship.  She had no strong reason to worry, and, yet, she could feel it in the pit of her stomach.

 

******

 

Octavian stood on top of the Tower, watching the sky over Solar City--and, in particular, the spot where Hal’s ship was just barely visible in light of the setting sun.  He sighed, and looked away, blinking away the sun-given spots on his vision.

The door opened, and Cassie stepped onto the roof.  “My love?  Are you alright?  Do you want more brooding solitude, or have you had enough.”

Octy sighed again.  “No, beloved, I’ve had enough time alone.  This is probably a dramatically appropriate amount of brooding.”

Cassie approached him, and sat on the ledge beside him.  “Do you want to talk about it?  I have to admit, I was not aware that you were so close to Hal.”

“It was before we really started hanging out, back during his first year at school.  But, in general, my dearest heart, I hung out with Senine, whom I was dating, and Jordy hung out with Senine, and Hal wanted to be close to Jordy.”  Octy had a thoughtful look.  “You know, we were about as old you were, last year.”

“Back when Gemini and I were terrorizing fifth grade.”

“Yes, precisely then.”  He took Cassie’s hand.  “Do you mind, my love, if I give a dramatic retelling of the events?”

Cassie’s eyes brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically.

“Very well, then!  I was a Friday like any other...”

 

I sat in my chair, which was, unfairly enough, across the room from Senine and Jordy.  Senine, as you know, had recently permanently migrated to Solar City after spending months on and off between here and Germany.  This was her first day in school.

As I prepared, as any good student does, to survive the day and also contemplate which period would be best to change into a skirt, the handsome newcomer approached my desk.

“So, Octy, right?”  Hal said with a dazzling smile.  “You’re friends with Hilde, the new girl, right?”

 

“I’m a little confused, my love.”  Cassie was now sitting in Octy’s lap.  “It sounds almost as though you had a crush on Hal.”

Octy laughed. “Yes, I suppose I do.  To tell the truth, Cassiopeia, my princess, I think we’ve all had crushes on Hal at some point.”

“Even Senine?”

“Oh, yes.  Even Senine.”

 

“Yes, and I can tell you aren’t acquainted with her, yourself.”  I replied with as jaunty a smile as I could muster.  “Never, ever call her Hilde if you know what’s good for yourself, friend.  She’s Senine, as far as you, me, or any of us are concerned.”

“Oh.  Right.  Anyway, do you think you could introduce me to her and her...friend?”

“Of course!  I was just planning on heading there, myself!  Come along!” I grabbed Hal around the shoulders and took him to where Senine and Jordy were sitting.  Much to Hal’s credit, he did not blink an eye at the casual contact, and I walked him over to Senine and her bestie.

“My fellows!”  I shouted with my usual exuberance.  “I present to you.....the new kid!”

Hal gave me an absolutely perplexed look.  “Wait, I thought Hi--Senine was the new kid.”

“Only new to you.”  Senine eyed him briefly, and then gave him the sort of casual dismissal that only Senine can.  This was, of course, back when her homeland’s accent was far more pronounced.

“Senine has, off and on, shared classes with us throughout the years.”  I explained, with one foot up on Senine’s desk for dramatic purposes which she, cruelly, started to poke with her pen.

“They keep kicking me out of Germany.  It was bound to stick, eventually.”  Senine, of course, was showing Hal her typical disdain.  “Way too many murders of way too many gingers.  It’s an addiction.  They all just insisted on standing next to my desk.”

Hal did not seem terribly fazed by Senine’s brusque and implicitly murderous demeanor and addressed Jordy.  “So, you’re Jordy, right?”  When he nodded, Hal smiled at him and said, “Nice hair.”

And that, of course, caused Jordy to blush as brightly as a thousand suns, and Senine to shelter him as though she were a mother bird, covering her peeping child with a protective wing.  “Sorry, you must be this tall to hit on Jordy.”

“...Aren’t you supposed to hold up your hand?”  Hal asked.

“Yes.  I suppose I am.”  Senine replied, watching him without blinking.

I knew that this was, with my impeccable social acumen, quickly falling apart, so I took it upon myself to make the situation more amicable for all involved!  “I think we’re all getting on the wrong foot!  Hal’s just trying to be friendly, after all, and friendship is a vital experience for all!”

Senine, in response, said of course, how foolish she had been, and--

 

“Beloved.”  Cassie interrupted.  “I severely doubt Senine has ever said anything like that.”

 

Okay, fine.  Senine gave me an exceptionally flat look and said, “I’m breaking up with you.”

 

“Yes, much more believable.”

 

She did not, of course, mean it that time, and would not use it in jest so easily, as, despite her thorny exterior, Senine cares very much for her friends.  It is, perhaps, why Hal’s betrayal has struck so deeply and painfully for her.

At any rate, I declared that it was time to get to know each other better.  As Senine had feared, Jordy instantly became infatuated with this charismatic, seemingly-kind stranger.  In fact, if he had been any more taken with Hal, he may have swooned in that very room!

“Hal here is a lost soul, a vagrant spirit trapped in the darkness of this world!”  I put my arm around Hal’s shoulders once again, my other arm outstretched, as if pointing to a bright, vibrant horizon of friendship.  “He has chosen us, the very best, in order to acclimate himself to our environment!  We must endeavor to give him the greatest treatment we possibly can!”

Hal gave Senine what I am positive was an aside glance and asked, “Is everyone like this around here?”

“No.  Octavian is the only one of his kind.  Even his sister’s different.”  Senine paused, and then said some rather cruel things I shan't repeat, particular about Augusta’s volume levels.

“Well, then, I think we’re lucky we have at least one of him.”  Which is, of course, incredibly true, and then, further--

 

“My love.”  Cassie said, bumping her head against Octy’s.  “While your telling is excellent, I believe I have the point, now.”

Octy smiled.  “I suppose I did get a bit carried away, didn’t I?  At any rate, that was the start of our friendship.  We’ve spoken over instant messenger, as well, after I was called by both the siren song of the theater...and also, of Mom wanting me to live with her for a while.”

“I wonder.”  Cassie frowned.  “Do you think he was going for Senine because he wanted her star to help his?”

“Perhaps, though he was smitten by Jordy fairly soon afterwards.  In truth, Hal never really made a pass at Senine.  Not that I know of, at any rate.”

“Well,”  Came a voice behind them, past the edge of the tower’s roof.  “I’d thought about it, before I met her.  I’m not sure I’d survive dating Senine.”

Cassie sprung to her feet and turned around, her scythe already manifesting.  Octavian also leapt to his feet and moved between the voice and Cassie.

Hovering just beyond the edge of the tower, just past the invisible field around the Tower, was the shimmering, transparent red image of Prince Halloway Decembren.  “Of course, these days I might not survive talking to Senine, let alone hitting on her.”

“Hal.”  Octy manifested his bow.

“You don’t need arm yourselves.  I’m not actually here.”  He crossed his armored arms across his chest.  “I’m sorry, Octy, for what it’s worth.  I wasn’t in my right mind.”  He got a slight smile.  “You remember that first time Senine had a big sleepover party?  And you spent the whole night in a corner with Jordy, telling him about how he should throw caution to the wind and come talk to me.”

“I do.”  Octy’s voice wavered slightly.  “Hal, you don’t need to do this.  We are your friends.”

“And you’re going to let me die.”  Hal replied.  He was smiling but his eyes were sad, and his voice very slightly bitter.

“We are not ‘letting’ you die.”  Cassie said, stepping next to Octy.  “We want to help but we cannot help as you insist we must.”

“You’ll have to.”  Hal said.  He was trying to make his voice stern, but his face was too sad and his voice was too regretful to be steely.  “I’m sorry, Octy, and Cassie.  I didn’t want to do this but if you’re going to be unreasonable, I have to be unreasonable, too.”

Octy’s eyes widened slightly.  “Hal, what have you done?”

“I’m proposing a trade.  Junior Ranger Dark Star for Junior Ranger Volca.”

Cassie stepped forward immediately, going in front of Octy.  “What have you done to Janice?”

“I’ve done nothing.  Wreqluze has, on my orders, captured her.  She’s been instructed not to hurt her--she’s perfectly safe, and I’ll make sure she stays perfectly safe.”  Hal looked away from them, as though he could not meet their gaze.  “Bellasar treats her prisoners very well.  You have an hour--I just want it to be you two and June, no one else.”

“Hal, please.”  Octy’s voice fell slightly.  “Don’t do this.   You keep continuing down a dark path.  I’m worried about what lies at the end of it.”

“You should be worried,”  Hal said, bitterness creeping into his voice again, “that I survive to reach the end of it.  Solar City High baseball diamond.  One hour.”

The hologram faded into thin air.  Cassie already had her phone out.

Octy watched the image leave.  There were tears in the corners of his eyes.

 

*****

 

In Prince Decembren’s ship, Hal stood in the communication room as the hologram systems powered down.  Next to him was Layon, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Are you certain this deception is wise, my Lady?”  She asked, looking up at Hal.

Hal’s form melted away, into the form of Lanessa de Vran Sie.  She gave the Supreme General an exceptionally patronizing smile.”Of course I am.  Trust me, Layon.  I know every player in this charade well enough that this will go perfectly.”  She tapped a nail against her chin thoughtfully.  “Although!  It may be for the best if Wreqluze dies, here.  I would rather she didn’t, of course, but if she did she makes a much more perfect scapegoat.”

Layon grit her teeth and nodded.  “Of course, my lady.”

Lanessa grinned at her and moved for the door.  “Do you disapprove?”

“I...”  Layon paused.  Her next words were clipped and exact.  “I question whether losing such a valuable resource would be worth making an inconvenience we were already going to face slightly better.”

“Hmmm, you do have a point.  Thank you, Layon.  It’s good to have your fragile, imperfect, mortal perspective, every once in a while.  Send her another few soldiers, would you?”  She opened the door.  “I should go make sure the prince stays out of trouble, until it comes time for him to know what’s happened.”

 

****

 

Janice had fought various bad guys over the course of her career as a Junior Ranger traveling the country in an improbably young pop band.  Some of them were mundane, some of them were horrible monsters, and on one occasion they were alien con men, which lead to the rare double unmasking, in which there was a second, human mask under the werewolf mask.

She had never, though, in her entire career, ever found herself trapped in a mime box.

She was in the dugout of the high school baseball diamond, and also, inside a box that was about as tall and as wide as she was, with walls that she could touch and apply force to, but also, could not feel.  The barrier extended to the ground, which marked one of the few times in her life she could not feel it under her feet.

Flanking the mime box were a pair of soldiers dressed in full body armor, one holding a sword and the other holding a mace.  The weapons were very rough looking, as if they were poorly formed from a single piece of metal.

Wreqluze was hovering in front of the box, sitting on the air, drinking from a large tea cup.  “Hello!”

“Okay, first of all, how the hell did I get here?”  Janice poked the empty space experimentally.

“Oh, I just used a few of my powers over space.  Do you want some tea while you wait?  Maybe a blood pop?  I’m not sure what humans eat.”

“...A maybe on the blood pop, I like trying new things.  But, so, you just...yoinked me here?”  Janice tapped the wall again.  “Why don’t you do that, like, all the time?”

“It’s tricky.  But you were nice and alone.”  Wreqluze grinned.  “Honestly, I’m not much of a fighter.  This is my ‘weapon’.”  She lifted her hand, and in it appeared a fan made of long, speckled feathers.  “I support, rather than directly fight.  Do you remember feeling disoriented?  Like you should have passed a road you had yet to reach?”

“...that was you?”

Wreqluze grinned a fang-filled mouth.  She gestured, and a frozen stick of blood appeared in front of Janice.  “Yes.  That was me.  I’m very good at what I do.”

Janice took the stick of blood, and sniffed it.  She gave it an experimental lick, and then immediately dropped it, making a disgusted noise.  “That’s...just sugar and blood.”

“Oh, so sorry.”  The blood pop disappeared.  “I love them, but I imagine something like you needs something different.”

“Sooo...this is kind of the chillest kidnapping I’ve ever heard of.”  Janice leaned against the empty space.  “Is this when you say what you’ll do to me if no one comes for me in a super cutesy way and then I’m really surprised how grim things’ve turned, or do we just stay with the tea party?”

“Oh, no.”  Wreqluze dipped a blood pop into her tea.  “I would never kill a captive!  I’m a monster, but I’m not a  _ monster _ .  No, you’ll just be my captive, forever.”

“Oh.  Huh.  That’s...not really great, but not the worst thing.”  Janice summoned her Volcanic Mace.  She tried to pull it back, but she did not have enough room for any meaningful swing, and managed to tap the solid space keeping her there.

Wreqluze maintained her pleasant smile the entire time, watching Janice constantly but also not urgently.  The junior ranger sighed.

“So, I’m trapped.  No way out.  Why don’t you just do this to all of us?”

“I can only trap one at a time.  It’s actually fairly difficult to do, especially under stress.”  Her tone remained casual and her expression remained unconcerned.

“...Okay, that was potentially useful tactical information.”  Janice frowned.  “I like it, don’t get me wrong, but why tell me?”

“Because.  Being the only one in the game who knows the rules is only fun if your objective is to win.”  Wreqluze winked three of her eyes, and turned towards the exit to the dugout.  “And even then, it’s a poor victory if it’s won like that.  And a very satisfying one, to win with all cards face-up.”

Two more Savage Star soldiers approached Wreqluze, one with a crude polearm and one with another crude sword.  “Ah!  Are our guests here, already?”  The one with the polearm nodded.  She glanced back at Janice.  “I’m afraid I have to entertain someone else for a moment, I’m so sorry for being rude.”

June, Octavian, and Cassie were standing in the baseball diamond.  Octy and Cassie both had their weapons out.

“Stellar Ranger Vortex, Junior Ranger Vital, and Junior Ranger Dark Star.”  Wreqluze curtseyed.  “Welcome to my hostage exchange!  Would you like some tea?  Or a blood pop?”

“We want Janice back.”  June said, arms crossed over her chest.

“So you’re here to exchange yourself, then?”  Wreqluze’s eyes sparkled.  “Wonderful!”

“Not so quickly, if you mind.”  Octavian said.  “Would you mind, first, proof that she’s alright?”

“Certainly!”  She manifested her fan and gave it a wave.  A white square appeared on the ground, and the invisible box shot up from it.  The square disappeared immediately after.  Janice tapped her mace against the empty space and waved at her friends.  The four guards moved up, now, out of the dugout, to flank their officer. 

June twitched when she saw them.  “That’s...those are normal stars.  Not power stars, but--”

“They’re burning as brightly as a weak power star.”  Wreqluze’s smile grew.  “You do have a unique sense, don’t you?  So many powers in you, it’s odd they aren’t found elsewhere.”

“But...”  Cassie looked horrified.  “How??? Why???  They will...they’re...”

“Burning their lives away.  Yes.”

“But why?  Why would you do that?”

“Oh.”  Wreqluze’s smile faded.  “I’m sorry.  Very, very sorry.  They were desperate, and needed power more than life.  As did we all.  Now!  Are we doing this exchange?”

Octavian sighed and shook his head.  “I still cannot believe that Hal agreed to this.”  Cassie patted his arm.

“Yes.”  June said, looking over at the invisible box.  “But on one condition.”

“Hmmmmm!  I will allow it, what’s your condition?”

June looked back at her.  “You Savage Stars like testing yourselves against us, right?”

“Yes!  That is why we came here in the first place, after all.”

“And you especially want to see the Penumbra in action.”

Wreqluze nodded enthusiastically.

“Okay. You can have me.”  She gestured to the invisible box.  “If you can hold me.”

Wreqluze let out a bark of laughter.  “Oh, I like you.  Yes, I agree.”

“We have your back, June.”  Octy said as June stepped forward.

June reached in front of her chest, and took the neck of the Penumbra, wreathed in flame, before pulling it from her chest.  Her whole body swirled with black and white fire, leaving her once again in her Penumbra Form.

Wreqluze waved her fan, and Janice was no longer in a box.  June lifted a hand, and found it bouncing off something that was not there.  Janice ran over to Octy and Cassie.

June, meanwhile, began to play. It was hard in the tight, unyielding, cramped space, but her fingers found the strings like it was second nature.  Sparks gathered around her, flaring out, but being stopped by the cage she was in.  She cranked up the distortion and continued to play, the melody building into something rapid and hard, much more jarring and rough than what she usually played.  A swirling field of black-and-white energy built up around her, pressing against the solid space around her.

At first, it just filled the dimensions of the box.  But, as Wreqluze watched, and the grip tightened on her fan, the hard space began to bulge in spots, visible only by the energy immediately filling the spaces it had made.  It pressed out, the Penumbra straining against June’s bonds.  Wreqluze pointed her fan at the box, the walls suddenly glowing white.  It immediately straightened up, and then just as quickly started to buckled again.

“Enough!  Stop playing.”  Wreqluze lowered her fan.  June stopped playing, and the box faded away.  “You’ve proven that attempting to hold you like that would most likely end in disaster for us both.”

June walked back to her team, and dispelled the Penumbra.  “Is that it, then?  Can we go, or are you going to make this difficult?”

“Oh, no.  It wouldn’t be very good for me to quit so soon!  I may be polite, but...”  Wreqluze gestured, and the four soldiers stepped forward, weapons at the ready.  She floated up, into the air above the baseball diamond.  “I am not exempt to our bloodthirst, literally or figuratively.”

June summoned her daggers.  Wreqluze smiled down at her.  “Some of the others may not understand it, but I admire your restraint.  Let’s test to see how far it goes.”

The Savage Star soldiers rushed towards the Stellar Rangers.  Octy jumped back on a wind current and shot several arrows at them.  As he shot, Wreqluze gestured with her hands and her fan, and the arrows hit white squares of space  rather than their targets.  The one with the polearm charged directly at Octavian, but found her legs entangled by vines before she could make it.

Cassie, however, was not quite as ready for the soldier with the crude mace, as he suddenly appeared behind her rather than continuing her course.  He struck her in the shoulder, and she stumbled forward, swinging her scythe wildly around her, very aware that several bones in her shoulder were now broken.

The mace soldier tried to pursue Cassie, as the two sword soldiers approached June and Janice, when June closed her eyes and detonated a burst of exceedingly bright light around them.  Wreqluze let out a surprised shriek and shielded her eyes, while the other Stellar Rangers--and Savage Stars--more or less followed suit.

June, however, opened her eyes.  She rushed over to the soldier approaching Cassie and shoulder-charged into him.  While she was fairly light, he was not expecting it and was knocked over.  Cassie’s shoulder glowed green while she was dazed, mending the broken bones within.

Janice regained her eyesight just in time to see the two sword soldiers approaching her.  She lifted her foot and slammed it down, causing the earth to shake in a cone directly in front of her.  Wreqluze gestured, and before they could be knocked over, the two soldiers were lifted a few inches into the air, avoiding the quake entirely.

“Oh, come on!”  Janice lifted her mace into a defensive posture and took a step back.

The polearm soldier sliced herself free and rushed Octavian once again.  He pulled back his bow and fired, this time with a whirlwind that swept her up and tossed her away.  However, and invisible force caught her and placed her gently back on the ground--though Wreqluze could not do anything about her dizziness.  Octy fired another whirlwind right for Wreqluze, which she dodged by teleporting several feet to the right.

Cassie swung the butt of her scythe at the mace soldier, causing him to once again vanish and re-appear behind her with a wave of Wreqluze’s hand.  Cassie sprung forward and rolled, turning to face him after snatching a dandelion’s head off the ground.  The mace soldier vanished again, and Cassie was already turning, her hand glowing as she charged Fatal Flora and breathed, right in the soldier’s face, a spray of glowing pollen.  The soldier’s eyes widened, and he dropped his mace and started to cough and sneeze, holding his face in alarm.  He was immediately teleported back to the dugout.

The two sword soldiers started to float towards Janice, when they were covered in a globe of darkness.  June stepped by Janice, who lifted her mace and slammed it into the ground, causing the earth in front of her to explode in a superheated, rippling wave that quickly disappeared into the darkness.  After a moment, both of the sword soldiers were sent flying out of the dark, only to be caught in the air.  Their bruises and burns were briefly covered in white squares before vanishing, and they were set down good as new.

The polearm soldier stepped up beside them.  June, Octy, Janice, and Cassie all stood before them, weapons out.

“You’re doing so wonderfully!  In truth, I have to be very careful.”  Wreqluze floated down slightly.  “They are very fragile, and I appreciate all of you holding back and not killing them outright.”

“I’ve done too much of it.”  June said.  “Is this over, or are you going to push us more?”

“I see no need, honestly.  I’m satisfied, for now.”  Wreqluze gestured with all of her arms, and the four soldiers all glowed within a white square, before vanishing into it.  “Shryk was a bit too harsh, I think.  Data has been gathered.”  She waved with half of her arms, and then vanished.

“...Okay,”  Janice began in the silence that followed.  “I just imagined her doing that space stuff with the other Savage Stars and I think my life flashed before my eyes.”

June banished her weapons.  “She seemed...really nice?  I don’t like it.  I feel like a mouse that a cat has decided she doesn’t want to kill, yet.”

“Did Hal speak to you at all?”  Octy asked Janice. putting his bow away.  

“The Prince?  No, I don’t even think Wreqluze mentioned him.  Why?”

“He was the one who informed us about your captivity.”  Octavian frowned.  “I would think he would have at least have had the decency to approach his own hostage.”  Octy pulled out his phone and immediately began to text.

June blinked.  “Are you...texting our current nemesis?  Because you think he had bad kidnapping etiquette?”

“Absolutely!  If he’s going to be a cad, he could, at the very least, be a polite cad.”

 

*****

 

Prince Halloway Decembren walked into the Savage Stars Officer's Lounge, dressed in full armor and, yet, holding his cell phone is his mailed hand.  He walked to Layon with an obvious frown.

Layon saw the look on his face and straightened up, standing to meet him.  “Prince, you seem troubled.”

“I am.”  He gestured to his phone.  “One of your number, Wreqluze, seems to have impersonated me, and kidnapped one of the Stellar Rangers in my name.”

Layon tensed, but before she could speak, Wreqluze teleported in front of her, and floated down, onto the knees she may or may not have had, and bowed her head in front of him.  Layon wanted to pull her back, and to accept all blame--and any punishment for it--in place of her subordinate.

But she saw that Lanessa was behind the Prince, and giving her a friendly smile, so instead she bowed her head.

“I did this, my Prince.  I apologize for using your image against your will, but I know your reputation is more sterling than that of a lowly mercenary such as I.”  Wreqluze closed her eyes.  “I was attempting to negotiate a peaceful ending to this conflict, and failed, and, in the process, have shamed your name.  A-any.  Any punishment you feel is worth me embarrassing you, I will submit to.”

Hal sighed.  “Stand, Wreqluze.  You’re not to be punished.”

Layon was not sure she had heard that right.  Wreqluze also seemed rather surprised.  “My Prince?”

“I appreciate your attempt.  If it had succeeded, I wouldn’t have been angry at all, so why should I be angry with you, now?  Just, in the future, none of you are to impersonate me.”  Prince Decembren smiled.  “You work for me, now, and you’re all the soldiers I have left.  It’d be foolish for me to hurt you.”

Wreqluze rose up and did a twirl in the air.  “Oh, thank you, my Prince.  I was afraid you were going to remove half my arms!”

“Well, then, how would you hold your whole tea set, and a blood pop?”  Hal laughed.  “I’m not that cruel.  Now, next time, also, tell me before you set your plans in order.  I want to be aware of what you’re doing in my name.”

“Thank you, sire.”  Layon bowed.  “On behalf of the Savage Stars, I apologize.”

“Again, thank you, but it’s not necessary.  It’s not as though you pinned a slaughter on me, or something.  This was a bump in the road, and, in the end,”  He gave her a sheepish smile.  “It’s not as though this has made them hate me dramatically more, they’re already fairly opposed to me.  Little to no harm has been done.”  He turned around, and Layon noticed that Lanessa was no longer there.  “I need to vent some plasma.  Keep me posted, Supreme General.”

He stepped out of the room.  When the door closed, Lanessa was standing in front of it.  “See?  I told you.  He’s very trusting, and very forgiving.”

“He...seems like a good man.”  Layon said, something like admiration in her voice.

“That’s what he believes he is.”  Lanessa shrugged.  “And, quite possibly, what he was before I found him.  But he’s not a man.  He’s a boy in many ways, forced to sacrifice too early, and not yet smart enough to know when to back down.  Perfect, really, for what I need.”

“I...”  Layon frowned.  “Yes, my Lady.”

“Is that a conscience I hear?”  Lanessa tsked.  “Keep it in check, Layon.  He’s willing to risk war to save an empty country.  Just because he treats your soldiers well now doesn’t mean he wouldn’t sacrifice all of you if it meant keeping his star alive.”

Layon’s expression hardened.  “Yes, my Lady, of course.”

“Now.”  Lanessa smiled widely.  “I have a bit of a side project to do.  If Hal asks where I am, tell him I’m Lynneth.  I have a bit of a...trial, for June to prepare for.”


	10. Episode 10:  Repercussions

Auggie woke to Amber shaking her very slightly.  She could only barely see her face in the faint streetlights coming through her blinds, and saw a look of extreme concern.

“Amber?  What’s wrong?”  She glanced at her alarm clock and then back up at Amber.  “And, wow, it better be important because, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, it’s a school night.”

“You were,like, crying out.  I was, like...I couldn’t sleep with you, like, making noise, is all.”  Amber blushed slightly.

“You were wooooooried about me.”

“Like, shut up.  What were you, like, dreaming about?”

Auggie’s face fell from teasing to a bit reluctant.  “It was just a stupid dumb bad dream.”

“Whatever, this, like, isn’t the first time?”  Amber put her hand on Auggie’s, and immediately blushed again.  “Seriously.  What’s wrong?”

Auggie looked at Amber’s hand and sighed.  “Okay, so, you remember when you first joined, right?  And how there was that time we fought those dogs, and Faye had to rush outta training to help us, right?”

“Like, obviously.”

“They’d just.  They killed so many people, Amber.”  Auggie was tearing up.  “There were so many bodies.  The first time I’d ever seen a dead person and it was just...just a dozen corpses that were so torn up and I’m back there, sometimes.”

“Like, holy crap, Auggie, that’s, like, awful?  Do Cassie and like, the others get dreams like this, too?”

“Oh, uh!  Haha, I haven’t, uh, really...talked to them about it?” Auggie rubbed her head with a sheepish grin.  “They didn’t seem as, like, shaken up about it, afterwards, and Junie did her big charismatic leadery ‘We gotta do it you guys even if it’s really awful’ speech. So I just kinda, I dunno, shut up about it?”

“So you, like...didn’t, like, talk to Mr. Vember about it?”

“Why would I?  He’s been doing this for way longer.”  Auggie shrugged.  “It’s no biggie, really, I’ll just suck it up, you know?  I’ll get over it, eventually, it’s just some bad dreams.”

Amber frowned even more.  “Auggie, he’s, like, a grown up?”

“So?”

“So, like...he’s a grown-up. He knows, like, other grown-ups?  Like, maybe magic therapists, or like, something?  And like, he’s been at this longer so, like, maybe he knows people that dealt with the same thing?”

“...Oh.”  Auggie thought about that for a second.  “Yeah, maybe.”

“No, like, yes?  Please?  You keep, like, waking me up.”  Amber pouted.

“You shouldn’t even be sleeping in here, you know.”

“Like, why not?  It’s, like, not different from a sleepover.”  Amber stretched out next to Auggie.  “We aren’t, like, doing anything, and, like, your bed is, like, way comfier than the couch.”

“...Okay, you aren’t allowed to have good points.”  Auggie rested back as well.  “I miss when you were completely unreasonable, like, all the time.”

“Wow, like, rude?”

 

****

 

June rested against her locker, at the end of the school day.  Her head was a maelstrom of chaos and stress.   Her eyes were closed, and she was focusing, instead, on the sounds of her friends, chatting around her.

“I don’t need to be escorted home.”  Janice said to Gemini.  “You just wanna give Vember the slip with this excuse.”

“No, you absolutely do need escorted home.  Your ass got kidnapped, Jan.”  Gemini poked her.  “That means, after researching--”

“Schumacher, Schumacher, and Aerie:  Research Buddies.”  Cassie corrected.

“I am not calling it that.  After researching, Cassie and I take you home, or Vember or Leah drives you, but you’re not going alone.”

“As much as it pains me to admit it.”  Cassie gave a slow, pained, dramatic breath.  “I agree with my twin.  You should not go home alone.”

Janice sighed.  “Okay, you’re probably right.  As long as Gemma doesn’t use this as a way to get away from her sentence, I’m down.”

“Actually, my Dad can probably give you a lift.”  Auggie chimed in.  “I was thinkin’ about dropping by the tower for a bit!  And he’s gonna need to pick me up.  He can drop off you, too, Cassie, since you’re both in the same super-rich neighborhood for rich people who are filthy rich.”

Cassie glared at her best friend.

“So, where’s my competition and your tolerable half, anyway, Levey?”

Auggie huffed.  “For your information, they’re off hanging out with cool high schoolers.  Well.  A cool high schooler, and also Senine.”

“Faye and Amber are working out with Senine and Avril at the high school.”  Cassie grabbed her books out of her locker.  “Also, I am glad I am so smart, or else this homework and also all our research would be an absolute menace.”

“Holy crap, here come some cops.”  Gemini said, and tried to make herself unobtrusive.

June opened her eyes at this, and indeed saw two police officers coming down the hall, headed by Mr. Lopez, her Literature teacher, who looked to be glancing around for someone in particular.  He stopped when he saw June, and said something to the cops, immediately making a bee-line for her.  June’s eyes widened under her prescription sunglasses, and she immediately checked her phone.  She saw three missed calls from Julius, as well as three missed messages.

Before she could check them, Mr. Lopez called to her.  “June, could we see you for a moment?”

June stepped forward, fully aware that all of her friends stepped close by.  “Is Julius okay?”

“Your brother is fine, June.  A little frantic, but fine.”  Mr. Lopez gestured to the officer next to him.  “Officer Vanderbilt has something she needs to talk to you about.”

“Hi, June.”  She gave June a smile that looked at least partly genuine.  “How’re you doing?”

“I’m...fine, I guess?  What’s wrong.”

“There’s a man named Vincent Day here to see you.  He’s apparently been trying to get a hold of your brother all day, and heard he might work here.  Do you know him?”

June’s eyes went wide, and she felt the destructive tempo of the Penumbra flair in her head.  She had to actively fight down the the currents of energy inside her.  June took a deep, shaky breath, and nodded.  “Th-there.  There was.  My p-p-parents...”

“They knew him?”

“H-he ran a red light.  They...they couldn’t turn in time.”  June was breathing hard, sad, angry tears in her eyes.  “H-he was late for s-s-something a-a-and.  They.  They they they were dead b-b-before--”

Officer Vanderbilt put a hand on her shoulder.  “It’s okay, sweetie.  Just take deep breaths and calm down.  Has your brother contacted you?”

June nodded.  “Y-yeah, but I only just noticed.”

“Officer Jameson is going to go out and talk to him for a while, see what he wants.  Maybe you should talk to your brother and calm down a bit.  We can send him away if you want, or you’re not sure.  We can even hold him overnight for trespassing if we need to.”

June nodded again.  She wanted to scream.  She wanted to rip the magic, apocalyptic guitar from her chest and find Vincent Day, and she wanted to annihilate him under a storm of elemental light and anti-light.

Instead, she walked back to her locker, and checked her phone, trying to ignore the concerned looks that, as a whole, her friends--even Gemini--were giving her.

 

*****

 

Senine was sitting cross-legged on Faye’s back as Faye was doing push-ups, in the Solar City High gym.  She was checking her phone as she sat, and said to Avril without looking, “So.  You’re still dating the devil.”

Avril had a foam sword in hand, giving it a few practice swings.  She looked to Amber, who had a foam dart rifle in her hands, with a foam blade jury rigged to the underbarrel by some sort of device that looked to have been cannibalized from at least one toaster, some clock parts, and a fanbelt.  “Are you ready?”

Amber nodded.

Senine grinned.  “I know you can hear me.  Protip:  Ignoring me never works.  I will keep talking regardless if I want to talk.”

“Yes.  I am still dating Lynneth, because she is very nice and likes me.”  Avril raised her sword.  “She has done nothing evil.  I have seen no evidence of your claims.”

“That’s the greatest trick the devil ever pulled.”

“Being nice?”

“Yes.”

Faye made a grunt of exertion and pushed herself up.  “But, Seni...she’s always been really nice and accepting of me.  When I came out she said that didn’t matter even when people threatened to leave the team!”

Amber cringed at that.  “I’m, like, sorry about that, or whatever.”

“I know!  It’s okay, Amber.”

“Okay.”  Amber looked over at Senine.  “And, like, yeah, she stood up for Faye all the time?  And, like, accepted me when I finally, like, stopped being awful?”

“I’m telling you.”  Senine put her phone down on Faye’s upper back.  “The first thing she did to me when we met?  She snapped her fingers at me and told me to carry her books.”

“And because of this, you think she is the devil?”  Avril asked.

“It’s because of that and the fact she doesn’t act like that to anyone, anymore.  Hell, she immediately changed her tune when she saw I didn’t fall for her weird devil charms.”

“I find this story...dubious.”  Avril altered her stance slightly.  Amber prepared her own, kneeling and aiming the foam dart gun at Avril.

“Are you calling me a liar, Ariel?”

“Yes.  And also, that name is not very appropriate.  I have few Ariel-like qualities.”

“You signed your name with a fucking mermaid.”  Senine tapped her chin.  “But you know, you’re right.  I’m pretty sure Ariel had a sense of humor.”

“I have a sense of humor.”  Avril said in a huff.

“You absolutely do not and it’s hilarious.”

Amber rolled her eyes.  “Can we, like, start already?”

“Agreed.”  Avril said.  “Whenever you’re ready.”

“Tell a joke.” 

“No.”

Amber fired a dart at Avril, who batted the dart out of the air with her sword.  Amber fired several more times, and Avril responded in kind, moving smoothly and fluidly, dodging and batting away more shots.  She slowly began to advance on Amber, effortlessly parrying and dodging every dart.

Amber hit a lever on the device holding the bayonet on, and the foam dagger fired off on a length of thin wire.  Avril parried it on instinct, and the wire instantly wrapped around her sword.  Amber grinned and gave the gun a light tug.

“Wow.”  Senine gave an impressed whistle.  “You cobbled together a bayonet launcher for a dart gun.  That’s some nice work, Rusty.”

“What, like it’s hard?”  Amber tried to sound flippant, but she was too pleased with herself.

Avril tugged back on the line with a frown.  “This is the last time I underestimate a cheerleader.”

“Ha!  See, this is what I’m talking about.”  Senine laughed.  “On anyone else, that would’ve been a joke, but you were a hundred percent serious and that’s what makes it hilarious.”

“I don’t see what’s so funny about that.”  Avril frowned harder.  “The last time I nearly had the wind knocked out of me through a punching bag.”

“It IS kinda funny, Avy.”  Faye said through another grunt of exertion.  “Hey, Seni, could you, ugh, um, make yourself a little lighter?  I’m getting tired.”

Senine nodded.  “Sure, Pup.”  She altered her gravity even more than she had been, previously.  “Is that good?”

“Yes!  But I might have to stop after another hundred or so.”

Avril tugged on the line again.  She waited for Amber to counter-tug and released the blade, choosing instead to charge Amber empty-handed.  Amber fired several shots, and winched the bayonet back.  It jammed when the sword reached it and blocked the line feed.  Avril reached Amber and lifted her hand back.  In a panic, Amber stumbled back, firing wildly.

“So, this is the training you were walking about?”  Came Lynneth’s voice.  Avril stumbled, and then fell forward, falling onto Amber, who let out a surprised squawk and fell backwards.

Senine immediately got off of Faye.  “Ugh.  You’re here.”

Faye stood up.  Sweat was soaking through her shirt and covering her forehead.  “Hi, Lynneth!”

“Hey, Faye!  Wow, you have got to be the strongest fourteen-year-old in the world.”  Lynneth gave her an easy smile, and Faye could not help but smile back.  Senine rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, well, I do, you know.”  Faye had a bashful smile.  “Lift girls for my hobby.”

“I saw!  Bottom of the pyramid, that’s a really humble choice for cheer-captain, I’m proud of you.”

Faye blushed, now.  “Well, you know, Amber’s on top, but she’s not as strong as I am.”

“Right.  And it’s good to see you two getting along.”  Lynneth moved to the pile that Amber and Avril were extracting themselves from.  She offered a hand down to Amber with a smile.  “I’m really proud of you, by the way.  I didn’t think you had it in you, but you surprised me.”

“Yeah, well, like, it’s not hard to, like, not be a jerk.”  Amber blushed the entire time Lynneth helped her up.

Avril stood and brushed herself off.  Lynneth immediately put an arm around her waist, and then both of them blushed bashfully.

Senine thought she was going to be sick.  “Wow, Card, didn’t even help your girlfriend up.”

“I don’t need helped up.”  Avril said with a soft glare.

“And Amber does?”  Senine grinned.  “I thought you weren’t underestimating cheerleaders, anymore.”

Avril honestly did not know how to answer that.  Lynneth gave her a brief peck on the lips, and that saved her from having to say anything at all.

“How’s your exercise going?”  Lynneth smiled at Avril.  Avril shrugged.

“Well.  Aside from the heckling.”

Senine rolled her eyes.  “If you can’t swordfight while being heckled I don’t even know why you’re practicing.”

“Why are you practicing like this?”  Lynneth raised an eyebrow.  “I didn’t know fencers trained like Jedi.”

“Oh.  It’s.  Uh.”  Avril suddenly looked very much like a deer in headlights.

“It’s hand-eye coordination training, duh.”  Senine said, walking up to Avril and punching her lightly on the shoulder.  “She’s trying to get all the fancy blocking down now that she’s gotten her footsie taken care of.”

“It’s called footwork.”

“Um, Seabiscuit, I took ballet?  I think I know what footsie’s called.”  Senine said with a wide, teasing grin.

“Did you just call my girlfriend a horse?”  Lynneth sounded more puzzled than offended.

“Oh, yeah, Lucifer, I give everyone a nickname.”  Senine said, completely ignoring the looks everyone gave her.  “So, why’re you here?”

“...My girlfriend’s here.”  Lynneth said blankly.  “Well, that, and I was wondering if you guys knew why there’s a bunch of cops by the middle school?”

Faye ran over to her duffle bag and opened it.  She pulled her phone out, her eyes widening.  “Oh, sorry, sorry!  I...I need to go to Junie, she needs me!”

“Wait.”  Senine started to jog after Faye.  “Wait up, what’s going on?”

Amber was already rushing after them.  Avril looked over to Lynneth, who was giving her a concerned look.

“I need to--”

“Go, I’ll be right behind you.”  Lynneth patted Avril on the shoulder, and the two of them followed in the others’ wake.

 

*****

 

June was keenly aware that all of her friends were staring at her when she put down her phone.  “Okay so apparently he’s left...like fifty voicemails with Julius, just, Julius had turned his phone off for classes, so he didn’t get them until right before school ended.  He has...something he wants to give us?  Trying to make amends.  Or something.  He wanted to find us both here, but...he didn’t know Julius wasn’t assistant...football...guy, anymore.”

“Coach?”  Cassie offered.

“Yeah, that.”

“So’re you...”  Auggie began.

“I’m not going to explode.”  June said, more forcefully than intended.  “I’m trying really hard to not explode.  And I’m not.”  She took a deep breath.  “I’m not going to explode.  If Puppetrix couldn’t do it, then this..this..asshole.  He can’t.”

Over June’s head, one of the fluorescent lights burst, and black and white sparks danced along the inside of the casing.

“I need.”  She was breathing heavily.  “I don’t know.  You’re crowding me.  Everyone needs to step back.”

“Yeah!  Sure thing, Junie.”  Auggie took a big step back.  “Right, everyone?”

Everyone else also took a step back.  Gemini rolled her eyes.  “Guys, June isn’t going to explode.  We don’t die here.  I can tell.  I have grim reaper pow--”

June shot her a glare.

“Okay so our chances of dying went up slightly as I started talking.”

Janice groaned.  “Thanks, Gemma.”

“I just need space, okay?”  June tried to back up, and hit her locker.  “I just keep thinking about him and I don’t want him to EXIST and I can do something about that and I need to not be surrounded for just a sec--”

As she said that, Faye burst through the crowd and practically launched herself at June, wrapping her arms around her with a loud, “Oh, Junie!  I came as soon as I saw!  Are you okay?”

June was stiff in the hug.  “I...Faye.  I need you to let me go.  I need you to do it now.”

Faye looked up at June, uncomprehending.  “Wh...”

“Faye-Faye, Junie’s....like, category four explosion warning, here.”  Auggie put a hand on her shoulder.  “Maybe save the hugs for her cooldown, later.”

Faye released June very reluctantly, and let Auggie pull her back.  She gave June a hurt, insecure look, and then hung her head down.

“No, Faye, no, I’m sorry.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”  June began to breathe quickly.  She was very suddenly crying a lot.  “Sorry sorry sorry sorry.”  Black and white sparks danced along her body.  She grabbed her head and sunk to her knees, and spent a good thirty seconds hyperventilating like that before her breath slowed.  “I’m.  I’m in control.”  She pushed herself back up, and let her arms fall to her side.  “I’m in control.  I’m not going to explode.”

“Woah, woah, who’s exploding?”  Senine pushed her way in, through the others, but did not get too close.  “What’s up, June?  Who do I need to punch?  I was just talking to Card so I am a hundred percent ready to punch someone.”

“Heh.”  June cracked a smile.  “Hi, Senine, no, it’s.  The guy who, uh.  He.  Caused the accident my parents were in.  He’s here, and he wants to see Julius and I, and the police, they, they want to know what to do with him.”

“Okay so it definitely seems like there definitely is someone who needs punched, but.”  Senine gave June a wink.  “What do you need us to do, June?”

“I...”  June took another deep breath, and closed her eyes.  “Could you tell the officer I’m willing to talk to him?  With them around.  And I want you guys watching, just in case...”  She opened her eyes.  “Just in case it looks like I’m about to detonate, you need to protect everyone.  Even him.  No matter what.”

Cassie looked aghast.  “June, you can’t seriously--”

“Done.”  Senine said without any hesitation in her voice.  She looked to the others.  “Come on, make some room.”

The others started to make that room, just as Avril and Lynneth arrived.  Amber had also arrived at some point, as was now clear, but had stayed behind Auggie and Cassie rather than make herself known.  June stepped past them, trying to ignore how Faye watched her go.

 

*****

 

Vincent Day was dressed in a suit that probably would have been nice if it was tucked in, or ironed, or washed recently.  He had a month’s worth of a beard that had not had any attempt to be groomed or trimmed.

June had never hated anyone as much as she did this man.  She could feel it welling inside her, a beating pulse in her chest that had nothing to do with her flesh-and-blood heart, that called for her to bring justice to this unkempt, sad-looking man, damn anyone who got in her way.

Her hand twitched.  Nemesis sang to her to destroy he who had caused her so much pain, and yet stood in front of her.

Officer Vanderbilt put her hand on her shoulder.  June looked up at her, and then back at Day.  She walked forward.

Vincent Day seemed to deflate when he saw June.  “You’re...Hespia? Little June Hespia?”

“Yes.”  June’s teeth were gritted.  “I am.”

“You’re...whiter, than I thought you’d be.”

“I’m a...”  June growled.  She took a moment to calm down.  “I’m an albino.  What do you want.”

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just, your mom.  She was--”

“She was Middle Eastern.  Yes.  I know.”  Nemesis told June that she could eliminate this man, not in words but in a feeling that pulsed through her entire body.  A song whose tempo was a never-ending beat of darkness and light.  “My skin has no pigment.  I understand.  What do you want.”

“Sorry, sorry, don’t, don’t wanna offend.  I’m sorry.  That, probably sounds pretty lame, huh?  I killed your parents and I just said sorry.”

“Yes.  It does.”

“Look, the court, the car company.”  Vincent took a shaky breath.  “They said there was something wrong with the brakes.  It took years, but, I finally got a settlement.  One point two million dollars.”

June almost blew up with that.  It took every single ounce of her willpower to hold it back.

“I want you and your brother to have it.  All, all of it.”  Vincent Day looked down at his feet.  “I’m on disability.  My back, I’ve got damage, from the crash.  It hurts too much to do, to do anything.”

“Good.”

Vincent visibly winced at that.  “I can’t bring them back.  But this money, it could really help you and your brother.  Just.  Let me give you the check, and it’s yours.”

“No.”  June said, mouth firm.  “Keep your blood money.  And your guilty conscience.”

Vincent’s eyes went wide.  He started to step forward, but his sudden movement sent a shock of pain down his back, and he stopped.  “B-but...I want you to have it.  Please.”

“No.  Do I need to spell it out for you?  I don’t WANT the money you got for KILLING my parents.  I don’t NEED the money you tricked the courts into giving you.  I don’t WANT it.  You KEEP it.”  June glared at him from behind her prescription sunglasses.  “You can ask my brother and he’ll tell you the same thing.  Now....now go away.  I don’t want to see you again.”

“B-but...”  Vincent seemed smaller, now.  “The money.”

“Go.  Away.”  June snarled.  As she did, the streetlights around them flickered, and then burst.  Vincent flinched away, unsure of what was going on but knowing that it was not good.

June walked away from the broken man behind her, and she flinched as she heard a dismal noise escape him.  Nemesis was screaming, now, instead of singing.  Her heart was burning inside of her, demanding the revenge that June wanted so badly.  She walked away, avoiding her friends, and heading towards the edge of the city.

 

*****

 

Faye watched June go with wide, tear-filled eyes.

She started to run after her, and was stopped when Auggie zoomed ahead of her--fortunately, wearing her badge, which meant none of the normal passers-by noticed anything odd about her lightning-fast movement.

“Faye-Faye, no, that’s probably not the best--”

“My Junie needs me!”  Faye shouted.  “She’s...she’s hurt, okay, she’s hurt and she needs me!”

“She’s hurting and she needs time alone.  She needs to blow off steam.”  Auggie stepped forward and put her hand on Faye’s shoulder.  “We need to leave her--”

“No!”  Faye pulled away, baring her fangs.  “No, she needs me!  She!  You’d let Senine go!  Because Senine, she actually understands Junie!  And I...I just get in the way.  And I...I need her more than she needs me.”  Faye sniffled, and looked over at Senine.  Senine, for once in her life, was speechless, her mouth open, staring helplessly at Faye.

Faye gave her a sad smile.  “She loves you, Seni.  M-more, more than she’s ever loved me.  More than she will ever love me.”  She laughed a manic, broken laugh.  “I’m just second best.”

Senine rushed over to Faye and wrapped her in a big hug.  Faye hugged back, sobbing.

“Listen to me, sweetie.”  Senine said softly.  “She loves you, too.  She just has a stupid teenage crush on me.  She loves you so much more than she did when you started dating.  Trust me.”

“But...but I...”

“You wanna help, and you do it the way you do everything.  You jump and you hug and you’re emotional.  And that works.  But not now.  June’s brain’s going really fast and she has a lot to think about.  She needs to vent.  Literally.  As in there’s going to be a really hard-to-explain light show for Malcom to salivate over in a few.”

“...I want her to feel like I do, when I see her.”  Faye muttered.  “I want her to be happy and love me like I do.”

“Faye-Faye...”  Auggie said, walking up to her and Senine.”Have you...not seen how Junie looks at you?”

“Of course she hasn’t.”  Cassie approached from the other angle.  “June is very careful to only do it when you’re not looking.”

“How does she look at me?”  Faye asked, voice hopeful.

“Auggie, you’re the one in the family of thespians.”

Auggie sighed.  “Oh, alright, but don’t tell Mom or Octy.”  She shook out her limbs, and then turned to Faye with a wistful, happy smile.

Faye let out a tiny gasp.

Cassie gave the look an expert nod.  “Very well done.”

“Thanks!”

“I can vouch, actually.”  Janice said.  “Girl is totally smitten.”

“Really, Puppy-Girl.”  Gemini rolled her eyes.  “Do you think I’d consider you my rival for June’s affections if you weren’t a worthy one?”

“Aw, thanks, Gemini!”  Faye said, the first person to say that and not be sarcastic in at least a week.

“Also, when you hugged her, your life was in way less danger than ours.  I’m jealous.”

Auggie sighed and said, “Wow, thanks, Gemini.”  The streak was immediately broken.

“Do...do you think she’s gonna be okay?”  Faye’s smile dropped as she turned towards where June had gone.

“Probably.  Trust me, kiddo.”  Senine ruffled Faye’s hair.  “She’s going to be fine.  I know, and that’s why I’m so good at calming her down.  We both know what it’s like to be doomed.”

Avril had hung back, with Lynneth.  She glanced over, to where her girlfriend had been, trying to think of some excuse or reason Senine may have called June doomed, if asked.

Lynneth Ursula Card, however, was nowhere to be seen.

 

*****

 

The sky above Solar City was, for about five seconds, a bonfire of black and white.  Huge waves of fire washed over the sky, visible for miles in all directions, even in some neighboring towns.

June felt really, really bad about the corn field she had just utterly obliterated.

She let out a long, slow breath, and let the Penumbra vanish.  She drifted slowly to the ground, touching down with one foot before landing proper, the final traces of her enhanced form fading from around her.

The sound of rapid, enthusiastic clapping came from behind June.  She spun around and saw a familiar, cloaked figure, lounging on air behind her.

“Bravo, June.  Excellent, really.”  Lanessa de Vran Sie said.  “You’re such an exquisite creature, as usual.”

“Lanessa!”  June took a step back, and tried to get a better look at the face under the hood.  However, it seemed like the darkness itself was shrouding her more than the hood was.  All that were visible were the eyes, eyes with that familiar blue color.

“Oh, that’s so cute!  You say that like you know me.  But, really, you don’t know anything about me.  That’s awfully curious, isn’t it?  Especially since you think I’m to blame for what’s happened to Hal.  And that I’m the ‘villain’ of your story.”  June could hear the smirk in Lanessa’s voice.  “It’s a curious opinion to hold.”

“Who are you, then?  What do you want with me?”

Lanessa laughed a cold, haughty laugh.  “Oh, June.  June, June, June.  My name is Lady Lanessa, and that’s as much as you need to know.  And as for what I want from you?  Why on Earth would you expect me to want anything different from what my Prince wants with you?”

“Why are you here?”

“I wanted to pay you a visit.  I thought it was criminal that in our first face-to-face meeting that we didn’t actually have a chance to talk.”

“We weren’t face to face.”  June took another step back.

“Oh, true.  You must be wondering why I’m hiding my face like this.  Perhaps I’m so hideous it would hurt you.  Perhaps I’m so beautiful you would break just by looking at me.”  She seemed to ponder this for a moment.  “You know, I’ve never really understood the human standards for beauty.  Of course, I know what are the things you tend to like to look at, as a culture, but as for why you find them so attractive, I draw a complete blank.”  Her tone became excessively patronizing.  “You’re aware they’re just shaped bits of flesh, correct?”

“I..”  June shook off her confusion.  “That doesn’t matter.  You’re making me annoyed.”

“I am.  That’s why I waited until after you spent all the Penumbra you can access for a while to talk to you.”  Lanessa floated just above the ground.  “I saved you the faux pas of trying to kill one during a friendly conversation.”  She did not sound very concerned about the prospect either way.

“Look.  Whoever you actually are and whatever you want--I’m leaving.”  June turned around, and saw that Lanessa was in front of her, floating just a few feet away.  June backpedaled, almost falling over.

“You know, the proper thing to do,”  Lanessa began, sitting on the air with her legs crossed, “is to say goodbye, first.”

“How can..wait.”  From this distance, June could see Lanessa’s eyes more clearly--though the rest of her face was still shrouded in darkness.  “Your eyes.  They’re...”

June got the distinct impression that Lanessa was grinning.  “Lovely, aren’t they?”

“They’re the color of that flower.  The one the Puppetrix had.  Blue Stars of Mourning.”

“Are they?”  Lanessa vanished, but her words remained.  “How curious.”

June quickly looked around, and did not see any sign of Lanessa.  She gave an annoyed huff, and then started back towards town.

 

*****

 

“Like,”  Amber said as she opened the door to the roof of the Tower, and saw Auggie standing on it, “why the heck does, like, everyone come up here when they’re, like, sad?”

“Uh!”  Auggie turned to Amber with a surprised and guilty look on her face.  “I dunno?  Nice view?  I’m not sad.”

“You’re like super sad.”  Amber frowned.  “Why, like, haven’t you talked to Mr. Vember, yet?”

“Because!”  Auggie sighed.  “Because I don’t have real problems.”

“Like, excuse me?”

“Like, June.  June’s found the guy who accidentally killed her parents and she almost blew up AND the bad guys are all after her, all the time.  And Senine!  Senine’s dying and she’s in pain all the time.  And, and Faye was abused, and your parents stuff and Cassie’s trans stuff and Janice dealing with getting mobbed by people and they went through all the stuff I’ve been through and they’re fine.  I don’t have to deal with race or gender stuff. I don’t have to deal with weird supernatural stuff!  Everything’s...everything should be fine.”

“Like, how the hell do you know that, like, everyone else isn’t also screwed up, like, about the pile of bodies thing?  Have you asked Cassie?  Or, like, June?  Or Faye?”

“They woulda said something.  Cassie’s my best friend.”

“Have you, like, told her you aren’t, like, sleeping well?”

Auggie paused.  “Again, when’d you decide to start saying really reasonable things?”

Amber walked over to Auggie and put her hand on her shoulder.  “Please, please, like, talk to Mr. Vember about this.  It’s, like, really important.”

“It’s not  _ that _ important.”

“If you, like, can’t sleep?  I can’t, like, sleep.”

Auggie rolled her eyes.  “Wow, super important.”

“I will drag you if I like, have to.”

“Okay okay fine, sheesh!  You gotta like me a lot for being so fussy.”

Amber tried not to smile, but did.  “Like, yeah?”

 

*****

 

When June got home, it was already night, and had been through the last leg of her trip.  Streetlights, unfortunately, meant that she could not revel in the darkness and remove her glasses.  Fortunately, whereas her star did not provide her overly-sensitive eyes much protection from the light, her night vision was stellar, and her glasses did not hamper her vision very much.

She was not sure, exactly, how she felt.  Her phone had several messages from Faye, one from Senine, and two from Julius.  She had not looked at any of them.  She did not want to--even without the energy she had expended, she was afraid that any more talk about Vincent Day would make her at the very least explode a toaster.

She stepped off the elevator, and down the hall, opening her door with a turn of her key and a push.

Julius was sitting at the kitchen table, and stood as soon as June entered the room.  “Hey, sis, you doing okay?”

June, on the other hand, sat down.  “No.  I don’t think so.  But, I’m a little better.”

“That’s good.  Avril said you were pretty shaken up.”  Julius shifted his weight slightly.  Someone who did not know Julius as well as June did might have missed it.

“Are you okay?  It must’ve been hard for you to talk to him, too.  And turn down all that money.”

Julius immediately looked guilty, and June gave him a shocked look.  “You did turn down the blood money he got for killing our parents, right?”

“No.  Not directly.  I told him I’d talk to you about it.”

“My answer’s still no, and...and...how could you even  _ think _ about saying yes???”

Julius sighed.  “June, that’s a lot of money.  It’s enough money that I might be able to go to a better college--hell, it’s enough that you and Avril probably can, too.  You’d have more money for clothes, we’d have better food...”

“The Stellar Rangers pay you for us.”

“They pay enough to support you guys, but it’s over a million dollars.  That’s small house money, June.  It’s college fund money.  Hell, it’s retirement fund money, if it lasts that long.”

“He got it from killing our parents.”

“In an accident.”  Julius frowned.  “He’s not an assassin.  He ran a light and his brakes failed.  He was reckless and unlucky, not malicious.”

“It’s blood money.”  June insisted.

“So, you’d rather he kept it?  For himself?”  Julius said.  “June, this could be the first good thing happening to us since Mom and Dad died.  We could really use this money.”

June got up, and moved to her room.  She walked inside and slammed the door behind her.

Julius watch her go with a deepening frown, and then slumped down into his chair and put his face in his hands.

 

*****

 

Auggie gave Mr. Vember’s door a knock, and waited.  After a few moments, she heard, “Come in!” from inside the room.  She opened the door and stepped inside.

Mr. Vember had dark circles under his eyes, and a full pot of coffee brewing behind him.  His desk was covered in paperwork, as well as books, scrolls, and tomes.  Still, he smiled when he saw Auggie, and said, “Ah, Ms. Levey, what can I do for you?”

“I was wondering if, uh, there’s like...therapists, for us?  Or counselors, or something.”

“Oh, yes, of course!  To be honest, I’ve been planning on asking if any of you girls requires a session.  Things have simply been rather busy, as you well know.  I can arrange a meeting immediately, if you wish.”

“Wow, thanks, Mr. V!”  Auggie gave a sigh of relief.  “Do you know, like, how long it’s gonna be?  Like, months or something?”

“It should only be a week or two, and you and your Stellar Ranger Mental Care Professional will make an appointment after the fact, with no input from me.  In fact, Ms. Levey, would you mind terribly if I were to message all of the girls, and let them know that one will be in contact soon?  I will, of course, make no mention of the reason they will be arriving.”

“No, no, that’s fine!  They should get help, too, if they need it.  Thank you so much.”  Auggie stood up, and started for the door.  She paused, however, and turned back to him.  “Are you going to ask...what it is?”

“If you want to tell me, Ms. Levey, then that is your decision.  Your mental health is important, of course, but your privacy is equally important.”  Mr. Vember gave Auggie a tired smile.  “I trust you to make the decision that’s best for you.”

“...Okay!  I will, thanks.  For that, and for the whole therapy thing.”  Auggie smiled and turned towards the door.

“If you, or any of the other girls, for that matter, require my help, Ms. Levey, then I will be more than happy to do everything in my power to help you.  Do not be afraid to ask for help, no matter how big or small the problem may be.”

Auggie smiled wider, nodded, and slipped out the door.

  
  


*****

 

June was lying on her bed, with loud, angry industrial music playing in the background, as loud as she could get it without one of their neighbors pounding on the wall or ceiling with a complaint.  She had not done anything for hours, save lay here and be angry.

There came a knock at her door, just barely audible under the din of the music.  June looked at the door, but did not get up to get it.  A moment later, there was another knock.  June very slowly got up, and the door opened.  Avril stood in the doorway, wearing a tank top and sweatpants.

“Oh.  Sorry.”  June walked over to her speakers and turned them down.  “Is it too loud?”

Avril nodded.  “Yes.  It’s midnight.  You should be sleeping for school, as I was attempting to do.”

“Sorry.”  June went back to her bed and sat on the edge.  “It’s just hard to.”

“With what happened today.”

“Yeah.”  June flopped back onto her bed.  “Not just...him.  When I went out to blow up, Lanessa found me.  She...talked to me.  It was really weird and kind of condescending.  I don’t know why she did it.”

Avril moved over to the bed and sat next to her.  “Did she hurt you?  Say anything about her motive?”

“No.  She just...well, she gave me the impression that we’re dead on with assuming she’s bad news.”  June stared at the ceiling.  “Today was too long.  Hey.  Can I get your opinion on something?”

“Of course.”

“What do you think?  About, you know, the money?”

“I think you’re being obstinate and foolish.”

“...Ouch.”

Avril looked down.  “I’m sorry, June.  That’s just my opinion.”

“But, like...what if your parents offered you that much money?  And felt it absolved them of what they did to you?  You’d be offended and hurt, right?”

Avril nodded.  “Yes, I suppose.  But I still would accept it.  You and Julius were, briefly, homeless, yes?”

“...yes.”

“I don’t know about you, however...I remember how awful it was, not having any money.  I support myself as best I can, and the Stellar Rangers support us as best they can, and Julius is working and attending school and trying to supply us with what we need.”  Avril looked over to June.  “I think that this money would give you and your brother--and to a lesser extent, myself--substantially more security.  I would, personally, like more security.”

June looked away.  “I just don’t want it to come from him.”

“If I was dying of thirst, and Layon offered me a glass of pure, cool water, I would not refuse it.”

“...I hate it.  But, you and Julius are right.  I think...I think I sort of wanted to accept it.  But, I was angry, I was so angry it was kind of scary, thinking back on it?  Gosh, I really must’ve hurt Faye, huh?”

“Yes, you did.”  Avril looked down at June.  “But she is doing better.  The others reassured her you care about her.”

“Okay.  I’ll tell Julius to accept the money, tomorrow.”  June looked up at Avril.  “Thanks.”

“All I did was say my opinion.”  Avril sounded very slightly confused.

“Yeah, but it helped me a lot.”  June smiled slightly.  “I’m glad, by the way, that you live here.”

“I am, too.”  Avril stood up, and walked towards the door.  “Go to sleep.”

June nodded.  “Oh, trust me, I’ll give it the most valiant attempt I can.”

 

*****

 

Lady Lanessa de Vran Sie was pacing in front of her bed.  She was wearing a light blue nightgown with a floral lace trim.  “I’m not sure we can afford Senine Nocturne’s continued existence, Layon.”

Layon was before her, standing at attention.  “I thought, my Lady, that all of the Rangers were accounted for in your plan?”

“Oh, they are, and especially Senine is.”  Lanessa stopped pacing and turned to Layon.  “But...I don’t like that I can’t control her.  Her heart eats effects on her.  It’s too much of a hassle.”

“So you think she’s a liability?”

“What?  No, of course not.  I think it’s annoying, and inconvenient.”  Lanessa shrugged.  “So, I think we should make an attempt to ‘accidentally’ make sure she does not survive the next Savage Star ‘test’.”

“Is that...a good idea, my Lady?”

“It doesn’t have to be a terribly serious attempt.  But it would be nice if she was dead.  If it doesn’t happen, I won’t be terribly upset either way.  Just keep that in mind, when you give the others your next orders, okay?”

Layon nodded.  “Yes, my Lady.  Of course.  We will see what we can do.”

“Of course you will.”  Lanessa gave her a smile that was anything but kind.  “Remember, Layon.  You owe me your life.  All of you do.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

“I can claim it whenever I wish.  You’re satisfied with what I’ve given you, yes?”

“Of course.”  Layon bowed her head.  “Any misgivings I may have, my Lady, are secondary to your wishes.”

“Good.  I like you, Layon.  In all of the Supreme Generals I have had, I think I like you the best.”  She patted Layon on the cheek.  “Do your best, dear.  I’m sure you’ll do fine.  Even if you just injure her and distract her from her currently-misapplied hatred of me.”

“As you wish.”

“You’re excused.  Dismissed.”  She waved off her general.  “Whatever it is you want to hear that will allow you to leave.”

“Yes, my Lady.”  Layon turned, and started to leave.  “Do you think...you mentioned, Lady Lanessa, that Dark Star is infatuated with Senine, yes?  Could that not mean some...damage to her stability, if Ranger Void is seriously injured or killed?”

“She will endure.  I’ve seen today that she will.  Don’t worry your pretty, furry little head, Layon.  Her hardships have conditioned her perfectly to loss.  Even if she loses Void, she’ll still be perfect for my needs.”


	11. Episode 11:  Ruin

“It’s my turn.”  Moal said, giving Jakil and exceedingly unimpressed look.

“I have never had a chance at a truly beautiful battle!”  Jakil growled.  “My attempt was rudely interrupted by that pompous Prince!”

“It’s still my turn.  You can bark all you want, you had your chance, and now it’s my turn to test these kids.”

Jakil turned to Layon.  “Supreme General!  This handsome cur is trying to get in my way!”

“No whining, Jakil.”  Layon sternly said.  “Moal is next.  However, I do not see a reason why you can’t also fight.  Moal, you keep at least a small group of Rangers busy while you, Jakil, go after Void and whoever might be with her.”

“Yes, Supreme General.”  Jakil saluted.  “Thank you for seeing reason.”

Moal let out a bark of laughter.  “Sure, boss, I’ll fight whoever you tell me to.”

“Remember, if you’re capable of killing Void, do it, but if she proves too much trouble--”

“Supreme General, I think I can handle an inelegant fighter such as her.”

“You’ll most likely to fighting at least one other, as well, and don’t underestimate Stellar Ranger Void.  She won a personal duel with Stellar Sword Lada.”  Layon said.  “Take her seriously or she’ll crush you.”

“I will take her seriously, Supreme General.”  Jakil beamed.  “Just as she will have to take me seriously.  It’s a shame she didn’t see my rather ugly performance against Dark Star and the other one, I would have loved to see how she reacted...to a truly beautiful performance.”

 

*****

 

“You ruined the Shining Stars, you know.”

Janice stared at the fifth-grader who had said it.  They were at the sidelines of the soccer field as tryouts were petering out.  She had done very well, of course, and was probably a cinch for her favorite position of first-string goalie.  Her confidence had been soaring, until those first five words.

“I’m sorry?”  Janice asked, wondering if she had misheard her.

“That doesn’t make them better, again.”  The fifth-grader pouted.  “They don’t have a good drummer, anymore.  They didn’t even replace you, they’re just using a machine.”

“I mean, I’m sorry, but, I just wasn’t feeling being--”

“A lot of people really like your band and you abandoned them.”

Janice winced.  “Sorry.”

“Yeah, you keep saying that, but they’re still ruined and it’s your fault.”

“Wow, okay.”  Gemini poked the fifth grader in the shoulder, having come down from the bleachers with Cassie and June while they were talking.  “It’s no longer time for gremlins to harass Janice.  Shoo.”

“G-gemini!”  The fifth grader scampered back, and then started to move away.

“Shoo!”  She waved the fifth grader off, and she scurried off at a rapid pace.

“Someday, sister, they are going to stop being afraid of you.”

Gemini shrugged.  “I’ll just have to maim them periodically so they keep their healthy level of fear for me.”

“No maiming.”  Janice said, poking Gemini in the side.

“God, Jan, you’re really a killjoy, you know?”

“So, anyway.”  June turned to the others as they started to walk back towards the locker room.  “What’s this stuff you guys want to show me, anyway?”

“Myths, mostly.”  Cassie said.  “Nothing concrete, but, we think there may be something to them.  Something we can use, at the very least.”

“It’s the best we’ve been able to get, unfortunately.  Musty tomes and stuff aren’t the best for telling about modern people.”  Gemini sighed.  “But, we’ve found something that might, at least, make you feel better?  Besides a date with me.”

“I’m not really sure now being nauseous for an hour and a half would make me feel better.”  June said.  “But we can try the myths, if you think they’ll help, that’s something.”

“Wow, Junie.”  Janice said.  “That’s like, a Seninean level insult, there, nice job.”

“Thanks.”  June smiled.  “I’ve been saving it.”

“It wasn’t that great.”  Gemini sounded slightly hurt.

“At any rate.”  Cassie said.  “Sick burns on my sister aside, Janice should get changed so we can head to the Tower.  I took the liberty of telling the others to meet us there.”

June felt something burning, and stopped in her tracks.  “Guys, wait!  There’s a Savage Star nearby.”

The ground in front of them burst, and out of the shower of dirt and rocks came Moal.  He crossed his arms over his chest and made a snarling expression that June was pretty sure was the equivalent of a smirk.  “Heh.  That ability of yours to detect us is pretty handy, huh?”

“Moal.”  June summoned her daggers as the other girls summoned their own weapons.

“Rangers.  Ugh, kids.”  Moal summoned a pick-axe with a haft that looked like it was made of stone.  “Strong as you might be, fighting the rangers’ child soldiers leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  I’m still gonna do it, of course, but, it’s taken a lot of the fun outta beating you guys to a pulp.”

“You guys haven’t had a great track record so far.”  Gemini said, leaning on her scythe.  “In fact, none of us have really been beaten to a pulp, yet.  Septus mostly beat herself to a pulp.”

Moal laughed at that.  “Touche!  But we haven’t really been trying, yet.  You’re better than we thought you’d be, granted, but the verdict’s still the same--that you’d never be able to beat us without the Penumbra if we really tried.”

Gemini narrowed her eyes.  “Well why don’t you just bring it--”  Cassie put her hand over her twin’s mouth.

“Ha!  I like you, kid.”  Moal patted his pickaxe against his large claw.  “We’ll see how well you do and if I need to do anything close to fighting all-out.”

“Why are you doing this?”  June asked, summoning her daggers.

“We told you.  We heard you beat Stellos, and we’re here to see if you’re as powerful as they say.”

“Yeah, but, you’re also working for the Prince guy.”  Janice said, glancing over at June and then back at him.  “Junie’s right, that doesn’t seem to really add up.”

“It was a job of opportunity, kid.  Don’t know what else to tell you.”

June shook her head.  “No, that’s way too convenient.  You’re barely actively trying to take me away, so it couldn’t be Hal telling you to do this.  But you didn’t start working for him by accident.”

Moal stared for a moment, and then gave a hearty laugh.  “Oh, you’re clever, too.  Well, I’m not gonna give everything away, but I think we both know you’re on to something, kids.  Now.”  He let the head of his pickaxe rest against the ground.  “Let’s get to it.”

He lifted his weapon up, and then slammed it down into the ground, sending waves of dirt in all directions around him.  The rangers scattered from it, and Moal charged right at Cassie, pick raised high.  Cassie stumbled back and raised her scythe to block.

Moal dodged back just in time to avoid a dark blast.  He sunk the head of his pick into the earth and dragged it up.  As he did so, the ground under Cassie began to swirl and crumble, and her ankles quickly sunk into the earth, which was now a morass of churning mud and sand.

Gemini swung her scythe at the Savage Star, while Janice attacked at his rear with her mace.  Moal grabbed Gemini’s scythe by the shaft with his free hand.  A wall of dirt shot up behind him, taking the impact instead of him.  The dirt wall then exploded in a cloud of dust, causing Janice to reel back, coughing and sputtering.  

“The Black Sun Blazes within me!”  June cried, her body flashing with black and white fire.  “Brilliant Darkness Execu--”

Moal drug his pick in the dirt, and, as he did, the dirt holding Cassie hostage pulled her around, in between June and Cassie.  June’s eyes widened, and her aim suddenly changed at the last moment, engulfing a car from the school’s mostly-empty parking lot with a black and white fireball, causing it to immediately explode.

Moal let out a deep laugh and picked up Gemini by the scythe, and then spun with her, smashing her into Janice and sending her flying.  He lifted Gemini up, and prepared to slam her into the ground.  Gemini banished her scythe and pushed off of him, landing nearby.  Her hands glowed with violet-streaked white light, and she charged Moal, swiping her hand up towards his face.

Moal caught her arm by the wrist, and started to say something when Gemini put her remaining hand on his own wrist.  “Wound Memory!”  She called, and suddenly, a large cut appeared across Moal’s chest--not terribly deep, but very wide and bleeding readily.  He let out an alarmed cry and tossed Gemini away.

He started to say something, and then a tree started to grow around him.  Moal smashed it with his pickaxe and charged out of the morass of wood and leaves, right towards a plume of lava shooting out from the ground.  He made a surprised noise and stumbled back, through the tree and getting back to his feet on the other side.

June was waiting for him, and slashed both her daggers at his back.  They left two long--but bloodless--wounds in the thick flesh.  He swung around with one arm and smashed into June, sending her tumbling away with a hard thwack.

Gemini and Janice had pulled Cassie from the quicksand and stood in a line before Moal.  He cracked his neck and grinned at the three standing rangers.

“Okay, maybe it’s time to start trying a little.”

 

*****

 

“Octy, I thought you had my back on this.”  Senine said as she, Octy, and Avril walked down the street, towards the park the Tower resided above.

Octavian sighed dramatically.  “I did.  However...”  He gestured towards Avril.  “Lynneth Ursula Card has shown no indication of being anything but an excellent girlfriend towards our very own Ms. Acosta-Garza.  I think your incessant demonization is starting to seem incredibly unfounded.”

“You are a god damn traitor, Octavian Levey.”

“She is nice.”  Avril insisted.  “I don’t understand why you are so certain of her being evil, based on a single incident.  There are far more incidents that would paint you as evil, given your typical attitudes.”

“It kills me, Seashell Bra.  It absolutely devastates me that that wasn’t a joke on your part.”

Avril grumbled, “I should have never signed with that mermaid.  It’s brought me nothing but trouble.”

“Mermaid signature or not, Senine.”  Octy said.  “Avril has a point.  If someone privy to Lynneth’s inner workings can’t see the evil you insist was there, why do you persist in declaring it?”

“You weren’t there to see it.”  Senine insisted, still sounding completely sure of herself.

“The snapping fingers incident?”

“I’ve told you.”  Avril interjected, rolling her eyes.  “Senine thought you looked like Francine Deveraux, from the back.  It was a joke.”

“Okay. Look at this.”  Senine stepped in front of Avril and stopped.  “In what way do I look like Frankie?  She has way more butt than I do, and longer hair.  She’s always had longer hair.”

“Your butts are almost identical.”  Avril said, not even considering it.  “And your hairs are both theoretically solid black to her.”

“Our butts are not identical.”

Octavian shrugged.  “I don’t really keep track, honestly.  The only butt I know...is the butt of my beloved.”

“Octy, you’re one of my best friends, but you’re also just, just a total goddamn liar.”

“Senine, words hurt.”

“Good.”  Senine turned to Avril.  “You’re going to sit there and tell me that you’ve studied both mine and Frankie’s butts enough that you know hers by heart enough to tell me that they’re identical.”

Avril seemed to realize exactly what she was admitting to and blushed furiously.  She also, however, nodded.  “Yes.”

“...Well, Mermaid, I’m honestly kinda stunned and flattered at the same time, to be completely honest.  I wasn’t sure I was your type.  I thought you liked your girls completely evil.”

Avril was about to respond when she caught sight of something, and shouted, “Savage Star!”

Senine already had her sledge out when she saw Jakil, standing in front of them, his sword resting against his shoulder.  He gave them a wide, canine grin.  “So, two full Rangers and a junior Ranger?  I guess it will do.  The last time I fought Stellar Rangers, there were four full Rangers, each with twice as much combat experience as you have put together.”  He gave a wistful sigh.  “I painted the battlefield beautifully with their blood.  I hope you will at least give me a suitable warmup.  The canvas here could use some work, but I hear your blood’s shade of red is one of the most beautiful hues in the galaxy.”

“I have never met you but I already think I hate you.”  Senine said.  “Get lost.  We’re going to be late for story time.”

“Ah, but I can never resist....a challenge.  Especially one that calls for such a lovely battle.”  He pointed his sword at Avril.  “This time, I can fight you without that Prince getting in the way.  We may have been instructed to hold back, but holding back has never been my style.  In battle, we must always use everything we have.”

“I do appreciate his flair for the dramatic.”  Octy said.  Both Avril and Senine glared at him at once.  “I mean, the fiend!  Waylaying us on our way to story time!”

“So.  Shall we make something...beautiful?”

“If I say no, can we just leave?”  Senine asked.

“Absolutely not.”

“Rats.”

“It was worth a shot.”  Avril said.

There were suddenly ten Jakils in front of them.  Each one summoned a second, serrated rapier.

Octavian drew his bow and nocked an arrow.  Wind whirled around it.  Avril summoned her sabre and started to pull water vapor from the air around her.  Senine shifted her weight, her hammer held at the ready.

*****

 

“I’m a little surprised!  I heard the death star was locked up.”  Moal grinned.  “Did ya break out?”

“I’m on probation.”  Gemini said, re-summoning her scythe.

“You pretty tough, for a junior.”

June pushed herself to her feet and shook off the blow she had taken.  Her chest felt tender and bruised, and probably had a broken rib that shock was not letting her completely feel, yet.  She summoned her daggers back to her.

Cassie took a step back and started to glow green.  Moal lifted his weapon and slammed it, axe-first, into the ground.  Matching walls of earth shot up on either side of Cassie and knocked Gemini and Janice to either side of them.  The walls closed in behind Cassie.

“Heh.  Don’t know why no one ever tried to take you out, first.”  Moal said, and then charged down the tunnel, his pickaxe raised high.

Cassie started to reach for the seeds in her pocket, but was interrupted when the wall directly in front of her exploded in a plume of lava.  Moal stopped in his tracks, and dove through the dirt wall on instinct, narrowly dodging another black and white fireball.

June stumbled where she stood, barely catching herself before falling.  Her right hand was smoldering.  Janice, meanwhile, had smashed through the wall and grabbed a singed Cassie from inside.

Gemini lifted her scythe, which glowed with the same white and violet energy.  She lifted it up and shouted, “Life Break!” before slamming it down, sending a crescent wave of energy at Moal.  Moal lifted a dirt wall, which the energy passed right through, and struck him in the chest.  His breath caught in his throat, and he felt, for just a moment, his body shut down--his hearts stopping, his lungs emptying of air.

In that one, single moment of primal panic, Moal unleashed a large flare of his powers, and turned all of the ground around him into a swirling mess of mud and quicksand.  All four girls were pulled down to their chests in seconds, as Moal stood above it, unharmed.  He thumped hard on his chest, as soon as his muscles started to work again, and shook off the feeling of very briefly being dying.

“Ha!”  He called out as June, Janice, Gemini, and Cassie struggled.  The ground around them had stopped swirling and was now mostly solid.  “I admit, I didn’t give you kids nearly enough credit.  That fight really woke me up.”

The earth around Janice started to glow, but Moal shook his head.  “I wouldn’t do that.  You start making things molten, I swirl the earth so it’s burning your friends.  See, this is what I mean, kids.  I lashed out, in a panic, and now?  You’re all out of the fight.  Maybe with a couple more of you, you could maybe beat me--but against the five of us?  Forget it, we would mop the floor with you.”  He leaned on his pickaxe.  “Without the Penumbra, you guys can’t beat us.  You can make us try a bit harder than normal, yeah, but beat us?  Sorry, kids.”  He reached out, and the earth around them became loose and crumbly.  “You’re outclassed.  Shryk, bring me back.”

A red glow surrounded him, and Moal was gone.

 

*****

 

All ten Jakils lunged at once, and all ten Jakils were, at once, knocked aside by a rather potent wind wall.  While they were disoriented, Avril rushed forward with a burst of water and slashed through three of them, jetting back to where she was before they could counter-attack.  Senine charged forward, throwing a Crusher Ball at one of the clones.  The clone burst in a spray of sparkles, but two more sprung into its place.

Three regained their bearings, and came after Senine all at once.  Senine pushed off the ground and quickly glided back.  One of the Jakils lunged after her, leaving a trail of five more clones in his wake, his sword pointed right for Senine’s chest.

The blade was deflected by a quick swipe from Avril, who had jetted in to block him.  A second Jakil materialized to kick her in the side and knock her away, however, and the six that had been made in the lunge continued to advance on Senine.

Senine lifted her hammer, which gathered condensed gravity around it, and slammed it forward, knocking all seven away, causing them to smash into both other clones and also a wrought iron fence.  They exploded into a cloud of glitter, and then reformed into a full twenty Jakils.

“You fight well, for amateurs.  There’s a hint of something beautiful, here.”  The lead Jakil pointed one of his swords at Senine.  “But, I think it’s time to end this charade, don’t you?”

Octavian pulled back an arrow.  He started to point it at Jakil, and then paused.  He shifted his aim, then, to the flat roof of a nearby building, and let his arrow loose.

There was a squawk of pain, and a shout from above.  Several of the Jakils faded away.  After a long moment, Jakil was fully visible at the edge of the building, scowling, with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder.  The Savage Star leaped off the roof and stomped over to the Stellar Rangers, looking rather obviously perturbed.

“Nice shot, Octy.”  Senine said. 

“But of course!  I suspected there may be a director behind this play.”

Jakil growled.  “I was just testing the waters!  To see if this was a fight worthy of me.”  

“Suuuure.”  Senine said, resting her hammer on her shoulders.  “You weren’t too scared to fight at all.”

Avril sighed.  “Is it really a good idea to antagonize him?”

“It’s always a good idea to antagonize the enemy, Fishbutt.”

“I hate you.”

A clone of Jakil appeared, this one without the arrow wound.  Without warning, the clone spun and slashed the head off of what had been the original Jakil, which now burst into a cloud of sparkles.  “Fortunately, as long as I have clones, I am essentially immortal and invulnerable.”  Five more clones appeared behind him.  “Whenever I am in danger, I automatically take the place of my clone, which vanishes in my place.”

Senine yawned.  “Okay.  Are we going to fight or are you just going to show off, more?”

“Yes, now we have a beautiful fight, for real.”  There were now six Jakils.  Then, there were thirty-six, all in a semi-circle around Avril, Senine, and Octy.  They doubled, and then were suddenly surrounding the Stellar Rangers, each with a sword in each hand.

Senine charged in front of her, hammer raised.  The Jakils leaped to meet her, but instead of reaching them, Senine pushed off the ground right before contact.  She floated above them, lifted her hammer over her head, and threw it down into the mass of Savage Stars below.  There was a powerful shockwave when it hit the ground which knocked away the mass of Jakil, smashing them in all directions and directly exploding several of them.

Four Jakils surrounded Avril, who had her cutlass at hand.  One in front of her slashed out, and she parried the attack immediately, before dodging to the side to avoid a slash.  She spun and swept up her hand, knocking one behind her away with a wave of water, and then turned to block the last one.  The fourth Jakil, however, managed to swipe faster than anticipated, and Avril only partially blocked it, resulting in a large gash being torn into her cheek.

Octavian floated on an air current over the Jakils, and fired arrow after arrow into the crowd, each one hitting and each one causing a Jakil to explode into a cloud of sparkles.  When he saw Avril start to be overwhelmed, he launched a whirlwind out, which swept away the Jakils around her and slammed them into a wall.  Unfortunately, it also made Avril spin around and nearly fall on her rear.

Senine touched down in the space she had cleared and picked up her Pulsar Sledge.  More Jakils instantly surrounded her.  On the outside of the ring they made, Jakils points their swords outwards, forming a fence of blades.

“So, Stellar Ranger Void, you’re surrounded and isolated.”  Jakil grinned, and lunged.  Senine stepped past him and smashed him in the back, shattering him into glitter.  Another leaped at her from the side, and Senine spun and smashed through both his swords, before smashing him in the head with the end of the shaft of her hammer.  Two slashed at her at once, and she blocked both with her hammer, kicking one in the face and throwing a Crusher Ball into the chest of another.

Avril threw a wave forward to wash away the crowd, but several more Jakils suddenly sprung into being right before it would hit, taking the brunt of the force.  Octavian continued to pepper the crowd with arrows and the occasional whirlwind, but Jakils closed ranks and reformed almost faster than he could remove them.

Four Jakils rushed her, and Senine spun again, her hammer leading.  She smashed them all hard enough to immediately disperse them.  She missed a fifth, however, who had charged in right after the first one had gotten hit.

Senine felt something pierce through her stomach, and then get ripped cruelly out.  Shock ran through her, and her looked down.  Her shirt was torn, and rapidly soaking with blood.

A Jakil rushed in front of her and stabbed out at her.  Senine slammed him with her hammer, and then felt another sword pierce her, this time through the chest and back, and just as cruelly get ripped out.

Senine stumbled forward.  Her vision blurred, and she had to fight against pain and shock.  Her hammer fell away.

Jakil was saying something snide, and he and his copies started to close in on them.  With her blurred vision, she saw Octy above her, and she gave him a nod, before lifting up her hand.  It started darken, and then became completely black as gravity condensed around it.

Avril tried to rushed forward, but a wind current pulled her away, sending her spinning back, away from the fight.  Octy followed it, casting a worried look at his friend and immediately pulling out his phone and speed-dialing Cassie.

“hey.  so.  you’re an idiot.”  Senine managed to gasp as Jakil approached her with a raised sword, unafraid of whatever she was attempting.

“Am I?  I seem to have won.  You fought in a very lovely way, but nothing can--”

“all of you are here.”

Jakil stared at her for a moment, and then his eyes widened.  Senine slammed her hand, palm-first, into the pavement and said, “ruin.”

Everything around Senine, for a radius that included every Jakil and about a dozen yards beyond that, was suddenly crushed down, as if by an extremely powerful force.  There was a shower of sparkles that were immediately pulled down as the pavement cracked and shattered underneath them.  Parked cars at the edge of the effect were immediately ripped down and mangled by the intense gravitational force.

Jakil laid in the corner of the crater, his body twisted and broken.  He was immediately teleported away with the flash of a white square.

Senine was lying on her front, bleeding profusely.  Her limbs, and many of her ribs, were broken.  Octavian picked up Avril in a gust of wind, and brought the two of them down next to her.

Senine was only barely breathing.

“Why did you knock me away?’  Avril said with a growl.  “I could have--”

“If I had not, you would have been crushed, too.”  Octavian frowned, and knelt down next to Senine.  Her eyes were open, but unfocused.

“But, if I’d...”  Avril threw her sword away.  It vanished in a spray of water before it hit the ground.  “...The last thing I told her was that I hated her.”

“You’ll have the chance to tell her it, again.”  Octavian sounded incredibly sure of this.  He was an excellent actor, after all.  “Cassie is on her way.  Could you notify Mr. Vember?  He may be able to expedite the process with some teleportation.”

Avril nodded, and pulled out her phone, trying very hard, as she called Mr. Vember, to not look at the broken body of her closest friend as she did so.

 

*****

 

Layon smashed open the automatic door to the infirmary when it would not open fast enough for her tastes.  Wreqluze and Shryk were already there, as was Jakil’s shattered and broken body.  Wreqluze was deep in concentration, all of her hands making quick gestures over white squares of light, which were also appearing around and over Jakil’s form.  Shryk’s single, yellow eye locked on her general, and floated over to her.

“What happened?  How did...”  Layon took a calming breath.  “How could this happen to him?”

Her second in command did not get a chance to answer her.  Lanessa de Vran Sie’s voice came from nearby.  “Senine proved an especially wily foe.  I should have expected she would have a self-destructive attack under her sleeve, it’s very _ her _ .”  She glanced over at Layon.  “I’ve decided not to got after her, anyway.  It doesn’t seem worth the trouble.”

Layon gritted her teeth and growled, “Yes, my Lady.”

“What, do you not approve?  Don’t be such a downer, Layon.  He’ll live.”  Lanessa poked Jakil, who did not respond to the stimulus.  Layon growled and took a step forward.

Lanessa gave her a side-eyed glance.  “Are you so ready to start a fight you know you can’t finish, Layon?”

Shryk bumped lightly into Layon, and she looked down.  “No, my Lady.  I’m sorry.”

“Good.  Continue to remember how sorry you are.  Jakil will live, won’t he, Wreqluze?”

Wreqluze gave a distracted nod as she started to piece Jakil’s chest and skull back together.

“See!  Now, play nice for the Prince.”  With that, Lanessa vanished.

From outside the room, Layon heard the Prince ask, “Grimm?  What are you doing here?  What’s wrong?”

Layon sighed, and turned to salute Prince Decembren, with his Advisor in tow.

“You don’t have to salute, Layon.  What’s the situation?”

“Jakil was injured during his assault on the Senior Rangers.”  Shryk said, floating back to the table.  “My scanners indicate he is all but destroyed.  However, he will most likely recover, with time, magic, and technology.  He may not be whole.  But he will live.”

Hal nodded, and stepped towards the table.  “Tell me everything you need, and I will see what I can do to aid him.”

Behind them, Grimm looked up at Layon.  Layon said, too low for Hal to hear under Shryk’s droning, exact list, “Whatever you may have heard, if you care at all for your own and the Prince’s safety, I advise you to forget you have heard it.”

“Isss that a threat?”

“No.”  Layon said, watching her broken soldier slowly be put back together.  “It is a warning.”

 

*****

 

In a different infirmary, Cassie, covered in dirt, had her hands pressed to Senine’s chest, and her eyes closed, as green light flooded from her to Senine.

All of the others were here as well.  Janice was still in her soccer uniform and, like Gemini and June, was also still covered in dirt.  June’s eyes were streaked clean by her tears, and some dirt had transferred to Faye from aggressive, sad, hugging.  Avril’s cheek had a bandage over it, in which some blood had seeped through.

“I can’t...”  Cassie took a deep breath.  “She’s hurt too much.  I can’t heal her fast enough.”  Her voice had an edge of panic.  “I am losing--”

“No.”  Gemini stepped forward and put her hands on Senine.  “No, if I can’t kill you then some asshole with a sword can’t, either.”  Gemini’s hands glowed with a dull white color, and Senine’s body matched it, the white mixing with Cassie’s green.  Before anyone could stop her, or really understand what was going on, Gemini crumpled backwards.  She was bleeding through her shirt, and her legs and arms were bent the wrong way.

Auggie managed to catch her before she hit the ground, and, with Faye’s help, got her to a bed.  Senine’s wounds had gotten smaller, and her breathing came easier.  Cassie sighed in relief, and then stumbled back so that she was half-sitting on the edge of the bed beside them.  Leah and Mr. Vember moved in, then, to begin setting both Senine and Gemini’s broken bones, and bandaging their wounds.

“So...”  Janice said after things had calmed down a bit.  “I hate to bring up the elephant in the room, but...how are we expected to beat these guys?”

“We train.”  June said.  She wanted to sound resolute and sure, but her voice wavered slightly.  “We train a lot.  We get permission slips to miss school to train if we need to.”

“But, like...Senine’s the strongest one out of, like, all of us!”  Amber said.  “How can we, like, even come close to beating one of them without, like, almost dying ourselves??”

Auggie put her hand on Amber’s shoulder.  “Amber’s right, we can’t do this.  Mr. Vember, we can’t do this.”

“...No, and you should not be expected to.”  He sighed and stood up straight as he wiped the blood from his hands.  “I am going to immediately contact my superiors and insist that we get support immediately.”

“We don’t need it.”  June insisted.  “We can do it, guys.  We managed to beat Stellos, and--”

“No, Junie.”  Auggie sighed.  “ _ You _ beat Stellos.  The Savage Stars are right, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

“And I couldn’t have done it without you guys!”  June said, voice growing increasingly impassioned.  “Same with the Puppetrix!  I would be dead if you guys hadn’t been there!  And now there’s even more of us!”

Avril looked at her, and then looked away, refusing to meet June’s gaze.

“But..Junie...”  Faye said, looking at her feet.  “I know you’re saying good things and they’re all true but...but they’re only playing with us.  None of them have done anything but play with us and we can’t even scratch them.  Maybe...we do need to quit.  Maybe we do need the Penumbra.  And I know you’re scared of using it!  But I know you can control it.”

“I don’t want to rely on it.”  June looked at all of her friends.  “Have...have all of you just given up?!  We can’t, we need to--”

“Like, we don’t need to do anything, June.”  Amber put her hands on her hips.  “We can just, like, hide here and like, wait out the clock?  Hal’s not going to be around, like, forever?  And when he’s gone they’ll, like, leave.”

“No.  They won’t.”  June looked to Mr. Vember.  “Moal let slip something, that Hal might have been set up to hire them, or something.  There’s something else going on here that we can’t see, and--”

Mr. Veber shook his head.  “No, Miss Hespia, they’re right.  You children should not be subjected to this.  While I fully support your training, and am more than willing to facilitate exercises for doing so, this should not be your fight.  Miss Septus is right in that all of you should be here, safe, for the foreseeable future.  This is becoming far, far too dangerous.”

“But--”

“Junie.”  Janice said with a sympathetic smile.  “I get it.  I get why you want to fight.  But did you see today?  He fought with earth, the thing I use, and we got schooled--heck, girl, we were flat-out humiliated in a four-on-one.  We can train, sure, but...this is way way above what we can deal with.”

Octavian stepped forward, then.  “If I may?  I think, what you’re forgetting, is that, either way, they will, eventually, bring the fight to us.  I believe they are fully capable of laying siege to this Tower and possibly even cracking its defenses.  The better plan may be to, instead of hide, train and figure out a way to lay a trap for them.”

“A trap?”  Auggie said. “Bro, they can kick our asses, and they’re smarter than us.  How would a trap work?”

“We’ve fought them all, yes?”

June’s eyes widened.  “Right!  That’s how we train!  We train to fight them, specifically.  They know our capabilities, but--”

“We know theirs!”  Octavian beamed.  “Exactly, June!  We know how they fight, in general, and we know they have a grudging respect of us--but also, a low opinion on our fighting skills.  Those are both facts we can use.”

“...You are right.”  Avril said, stepping forward.  Her voice wavered as she spoke.  “Hiding is good and safe, but we may not be able to hide forever.  We should be ready, at least, if they attempt to push the issue.”

The others shared uneasy, unsure looks.  The Schumacher twins did not weigh in, as they had both long since passed out.

“We will see what assistance we can get.  Girls,”  Mr. Vember looked to all of them.  “You will be excused from school for the foreseeable future.  You will receive homework and instruction, here.  You will also receive more-intense-than-usual training, if you want it.  I will look into illusions I can prepare for the training room in order to simulate the Savage Stars if you want me to.”

“Thanks, Mr. Vember.”  June said.  “Can you called Julius?  I think...I need a break.  From everything.”

“Hey!”  Janice suddenly said.  “I have an idea.  We can do story time, like we planned!  I can bring the books in here.  I’d be the only person who’ll really do anything, and I love reading.”

“Yeah, sure, Jan.”  June turned to Octy.  “Do you think you can float us all?”

“I can but try!”

Faye, Janice, Amber, and Auggie exchanged worried, unsure looks, and Avril tried very hard to look as though she did not share their sentiments.

 

*****

 

“Look.  Right here.”  Malcolm Talbot said, showing his assistant/camerawoman, Lydia Vanderbilt, his phone camera.

Her eyes widened.  “Is that Senine?  And a wolfman?  Who multiples?  A Multiple-Wolf-Man?  And Octy with a bow?  And that new girl with a sword??”

“Yes!”  He handed her the phone.  “I had to hide a block away, but, it’s pretty obviously weird stuff, right?”

Lydia nodded.  “I’ll see what I can do to the footage, Mal.  This is going to be even better than the spaceship footage!”

“Yeah!  Yeah, I think so, too.  Just, could you hide their faces?  Their identities aren’t as good as the truth, and I don’t want to pull a J. Jonah Jameson and unmask them or anything, if they’re superheroes.”

“Got it!”

Malcolm smiled, and turned to his laptop as Lydia plugged the phone into her own.  It was most definitely story time.

 


	12. Episode 12:  Story Time

“Lydia, what’s a good title?”  Malcolm frowned at his laptop.  They were in his room.  The walls were covered in posters of various cryptids and famous UFO sightings, and the lights were, as per usual, kept dim.

“How about, ‘Solar City Heroes?  Masked Vigilantes Attack Multiple Wolf Man!”

“Hmmm.”  Malcolm frowned.  “That’s good, but I think we can do better.  What about, ‘Stellar City’s Defenders?  Superheroes Caught on Tape Battling Multiplying Werewolf!”

“We don’t know he’s a werewolf, boss.”

“Oh, right.  Wolfman instead, then.”  He thought about it for a moment, and then began to type.  “Let’s see....’it was a day like any other when this intrepid reporter came across the battle of a century!’”

“I love it, Mal.  I’d post it on every social media I have from that line, alone!”

“Great!  Thanks, Lydia.  Okay, let’s get to the story.”

 

******

 

Once upon a time--

 

“Wait wait wait.”  Amber frowned.  She was on a spare bed in the infirmary, with Auggie, Faye, and June.  “Like, does it really say ‘Once upon a time’?”

Janice glared at Amber.  “Just let me have this, okay?”

“Yeah, Amber!  It’s a story, just listen! It’ll be great!”  Faye smiled at both of them.  “What’s this one called?”

“Oh!  It’s called ‘The Twins’.  It’s a story they tell in the Kingdom of Frost, apparently.”  Janice looked up from the book.  “We’ve got one from there, one from Bellasar, and one we don’t know the source of.”

“Don’t listen to the philistine, Janice.”  Octavin said from his place, sitting on the edge of Cassie’s bed.  “Use any convention you wish when telling the tale.”

“Thanks, Octy.”

Amber muttered something, and Auggie patted her on the back.

Avril glanced up from her place, sitting in a chair next to Senine’s bed.  She looked over to June, and then back to her phone, where she had been texting away.

“So,  _ anyway _ , I was telling a story.”  Janice looked down at the book, again.  “Okay, so--”

 

_ The Twins _

 

A Folk Tale from the Kingdom of Frost

 

As told by Janice Aerie, adapted from  _ Collected Tales from the Edge of the Universe _ by Jshn Fz

 

Once upon a time, there was a place that had no light.

There was no light or hope, no love or hate, no life as we understand life.  The sky was burned by darkness that  pulsed out of massive furnaces of shadow.  The planets were churning balls of fire that had no light or heat but burned anyway.

In this land, two children were born.

One was of the land.  She was dark and empty and lifeless by nature.

Her brother, however, was different.  He was bright.  The only light that had ever existed in this place without light.  He was love and hate and light and hope and life, and he burned since the day he was born.

And his sister did not understand him, but she loved him, like none of her people had ever loved, before--that is, at all.

As they grew older, the brother’s light became brighter and brighter, and it began to attract attention for elsewhere. The people of the place without light had not been aware like we know awareness, before they saw the brother, and they started to feel like they never had before.

They wanted his light, more than anything else.  They loved him and hated him.  He was hope where there had never been a concept of hope, before, and when his light left, that hope faded, and they grew bitter, knowing resentment for the first time in their eternal existences.

And his sister saw that they coveted what he was, and she knew that she could not hide him from them, forever.  They would try to take his light, and she knew they would snuff it out in the process.

So, one day, if such times as ‘days’ could even be measured in the place without light, she approached her brother and told him that she had heard of a place where light existed.  Light like him, more of it than she could even believe could exist.  She said that this had been whispered to her--from where she did not know--and that she could find a way to the Land of Light, and take him there, where she could keep him safe, forever.

He was hesitant, however.  He did not want to abandon those who needed him, and he questioned whether such a place could even exist.  His sister pleaded with him, for what may well have been an eternity, until he started to see the hungry, jealous stares the others gave them when his sister was not looking, and the grasping motions they made for his exposed back, whenever it was presented to them.

He decided to listen to her, and leave, and the two siblings went out, towards where they thought the edge of the place with no light was.  As his light touched it, it gave it definition--distance and time existed and were measured for the first time in this lightless land, and it gave a chance for something to follow, a whispering beast who longed to grow fat off the Land of Light’s delicious hope.

The brother and sister did not notice the beast, as it hid and slunk.  It resisted the brother’s light with the promise of more light, more than it could ever devour.

In countless eons, the brother and sister reached the edge, the place right before the land where light existed, and waiting for them were their mother and father, vast and terrible and infinite.

Her father looked at her sadly, and her mother said, “You know, my dearest daughter, that this is not a place for you, and it will be abhorrent for you to exist in, and the land itself will surely be your doom.”

And the sister said she did not care.

Her mother gave her a sad look and said, “And you know, dearest daughter, that you will both be changed when you enter this land, for you are both vast and undefined, and the Land of Light demands that all has a definition.”

And the sister said she did not care.

And both of their parents gave them a sad look and said, as one, “And you know, dearest daughter, that this land will also be changed by you.  Things that do not have hearts will be given hearts, as you will have hearts, though you do not know what they are.  They will change to have hearts because they are vast and powerful as you are vast and powerful, and the Land of Light will decide that you are so vast and so powerful that the rules of this land will change and warp, because you and your brother exist in it.”

And once more the sister said she did not care.

And they addressed her again, as they could not look at their son for fear they would also be drawn into his light, and they spoke without speaking, so as not to alert the whispering beast.  The told her that they were being followed by that whispering beast, that it had put this idea in her head in order to cross into the Land of Light, and if they crossed, they would create a passage it could use to escape there.  They told her that this beast was small and cunning, but even if it was harmless, here, in the Land of Light it would grow fat and large and strong on the hope and light of the land, and that its progeny would cause untold ruin to the Land of Light, and they would know it as the absence and opposite of hope.

And the sister looked at her brother, and then back to her parents, and said she did not care.

With heavy hearts they did not have, their parents showed them the way out.

The sister took her brother’s hand, and smiled at him, and they crossed into the Land of Light.

It was beautiful and terrible and it was where the brother belonged, though his light was harsher and more raw than the Land’s.  And they gained hearts, and became like stars, and they lived in their hearts, as one does.

And the whispering beast followed them into the light, and it laughed as it felt all of the love and hate and hope it desired, suddenly burst into being with every heart born of the twins’ escape.

The twins lived in peace, for a while.  They gained friends and lovers and a new family.  Over the eons, they became guardians of the Land of Light, and the sister especially hunted the Land for the whispering beast, now known as the absence and opposite of hope.  As their parents had said, it had indeed grown large and fat off of the light and hate and hope and love it had consumed, and its progeny indeed ravaged the land.

But, for all of her power, she could never quite destroy the whispering beast, and, as her parents had warned, the Land of Light abhorred something dark as she was.  It wore away at her, the light tearing her body apart a little bit at a time, and splintering pieces off of her heart.

Her brother saw this, and he said, “Sister, you saved me from the jealous claws of the darkness.  You brought me to a place where I could thrive, and know the same love and hope and hate and life that I had always given others.  All light wounds you, save mine.  You have given me a chance to exist, and now, I will give it to you.”

And her brother sundered his body and his heart, and gave them to his sister with his last breath.  They filled in the cracks and gave her an aegis from the terrible beautiful light, wreathing her in his protective light.  And his heart’s shattered remains filled in the cracks the light had worn in it.

And the sister saw this, and she wept for an age, before taking what remained of him, and what had worn away from her, and created an instrument to play a dirge for the loss of him, the first light a land without light had ever known.

 

To say that June was crying was a bit of an understatement.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall, and she was audibly and visibly sobbing.  Faye was hugging her tightly, and June hugged back just as tightly.

“...Like, what’s with her???”  Amber asked.  Auggie rolled her eyes.

“Bae, it’s obviously because it’s about Nemesis and Sympathos?”

Amber gave her a blank look.

“Her star?  And her star’s brother?”

“What?  Like, how does a star have a brother?”

“Mr. Vember told us a version of this story before!”

“Like, maybe I wasn’t here?  It could have been before I was a Ranger.”

“Yeah!”  Janice interjected, before Amber and Auggie could get the ball rolling harder on their argument.  “Cassie said it sounded like a version of the Nemesis story that put her in a better light than the version that Mr. Vember told her.  I think it’s really nice, it’s my favorite of the ones we found.  Are you okay, Junie?  Do you need a moment.”

She nodded, and wiped her eyes.  “Y-yeah, sorry, it’s...it’s like the story just resonated with me, like I haven’t ever felt before.  Do you think...it’s the true version?”

Janice shrugged.  “Honestly, Junie?  I don’t think any story about stuff like this is true, it’s just true to the person telling it.  If it helps, the Kingdom of Frost has Nemesis as their star, so, they have more reason to be kind about her than most.”

“Nemesis...has planets?”  June asked, amazed.  “But it feels so...destructive.”

“I mean,”  Auggie began.  “Every star is a huge ball of like, super-hot stuff.  And it gives light and stuff by radiation and explosions, two things that are, historically, super bad news for humans.”

“Yeah!”  Faye said, nuzzled June’s cheek.  “So even if it’s destructive it can still be great and people can still love it!”

“Oh.”  June blushed, and smiled.  “I think...I think that I like that version more.  And it’s true to me.”

“Like, oh my God, you guys.”  Amber rolled her eyes.  “Okay so June feels better about herself, and, like, that’s great, but did you miss, like, the huge evil monster?”

“We believe,”  Cassie said from her bed as she sat up, “that the monster it refers to is Despair.”

Octy immediately put his hand on Cassie’s, and she smiled at him.  “I’m feeling a bit better, though, it will be a while before I can continue to heal Senine and Gemini.”

“That is wonderful, my dearest.”  Octy kissed Cassie on the forehead, and she blushed.  She then immediately looked to Auggie, who was taking a picture of this affectionate display on her phone.

“Sweet!  Blackmail!”  Auggie put her phone way.

Cassie gave her a flustered look.  “You!  If my mother sees that, she’ll ground me--”

“For a thousand years, yep!”  Auggie grinned.  “Love you, Cass!”

Cassie grumbled and sunk against Octavian.  “At any rate, I am feeling good enough to read, and I would like to read the next story, Janice.”

“Sure thing, Research Buddy!”

 

Hark, and come to hear the end of the story of--

 

“What,”  Amber began, “no ‘once upon a time’?”

“Oh my GOD Amber,”  Auggie groaned.  “Shut UP.”

 

_ The Death of Dame Lanessa _

 

As told by Cassiopaea Schumacher, adapted from  _ Legends of Bellasar, Volume 2 _ , by Miertan Fendolon

 

Hark, and come to hear the end of the story of Dame Lanessa, champion of the Crimson Knights of Bellasar, and bearer of the Penumbral Flute.

 

“Wait, okay, sorry.”  June said.  “That’s just...that sentence is really full of things.”

“Yes, yes it is.”  Cassie set the book down.  “That is why we thought this story in particular was relevant.”

 

The halls ring with the stories of Dame Lanessa’s heroism, how she proved worthy of bearing the borrowed power of Penumbra, how she faced the forces of Despair and prevaled, how she kept our lands safe from pirate, knave, and conqueror alike.  We give praise to her memory, and sing the song of her final triumph.

Our system lived in peace and prosperity under our great king.  Our knights had kept us well protected, especially with our beloved champion, Dame Lanessa, at their head, may her memory never fade and may the praises of her outlast our great sun.

However, a grave and terrible pair of beasts came to our great solar system.  The Hand of Despair herself, daughter of Despair, and her vile progeny, the Jaws of Despair, descended upon Bellasar Prime, to destroy us utterly, and devour our strength for their own, heinous purposes.

They had left many civilizations ravaged before reaching us, may they rest forever and their tales never be forgotten, and many a Stellar Ranger had fallen heroically to stop their advance, but the Hand of Despair could not be stopped.

When they came to our world, our knights stood bravely, but Dame Lanessa, our Champion, worthy of a fraction of the Penumbra’s power, beseeched them to lower their weapons and steady the defenses of our great kingdom, may it still be spoken of when the core of the universe grows as cold and dim as the spaces beyond realty.  She spoke to Valyn the valorous, vanquisher of the great star beast, and told him to ready his sword in defense of--

 

“Cassie.”  Janice interrupted.  “I thought we agreed we were gonna skip the Iliad bits.”

“Oh!  Yes, sorry.”  Cassie cleared her throat.  “She addresses each knight, individually, and tells them specific things they need to do to keep the kingdom safe.  It’s very fascinating but, you’re right, it takes two full pages and it may be best to skip, for now.”

 

And they asked what our Champion, Dame Lanessa, may her legend forever be untainted, would do, she said she would take her flute, the Penumbral Weapon, may Nemesis always find her prey, and battle these demons directly.  She would fight so that our knights could be safe, and prepare their defenses just in case she fell.

And the knights were shamed by her honor, and--

 

“And now, each individual knight gives praise to Dame Lanessa.”  Cassie looked up from the book.  “I imagine each of these knightly lines has some purchase in Bellasari culture?  Perhaps they still exist, wherever its people have scattered.”

“Oh, so, like,”  Auggie was bouncing her legs back and forth off the edge of the bed.  “You would hear the story and be all ‘wow, my great-times-a-hundred grandma was there when the Hand of Despair showed up and wrecked stuff’, that’s pretty neat.”

 

Dame Lanessa said goodbye to her beloved parents, and her dearest sisters, and her myriad lovers, all of whom had lovely names and epithets that take up three pages, and set out to challenge the child of Despair and her progeny directly.

She faced them in the Volcar Mountain range,which, in those days, was a great and mighty range, tall and black against the sky, reaching up towards our glorious sun.  The Hand of Despair, may her name be forever cursed and her title fade to history, allowed her vile child to fight, first, while she watched.

The battle between Dame Lanessa, our greatest and most beloved champion, and the Jaws of Despair, the terrible, horrible devourer of hearts and stealer of hope, she of a maw like a great chasm, and teeth like swords, ravaged the mountains, shattering them under thunderous blows and savage combat.  

Thrice did the Jaws of Despair have Dame Lanessa, slayer of monsters and the bane of pirates, nearly at the point of defeat.  Once, she raised the creatures of the mountains as twisted, monstrous versions of themselves, tainted their hearts with wickedness, but the Clever Dame, who once defeated all thirteen of the Dire Company’s greatest soldiers in one blow, used the power of the Penumbral Flute to bring one of the black crags down on the Jaws of Despair’s army.

The second time, the wicked beast, the corrupted fruit of the Hands’ twisted tree, the devourer of stars, did play a song so mournful it made the whole world weep, and threatened to drown Dame Lanessa, hero of us all, even today, in its bloody, corrupted tears.  And lo, Dame Lanessa very nearly drowned, but, before death’s cold grips could claim her, she played a rousing song on her great and terrible flute, and cheered the planet up, stopping the horrible flood before it could consume her.

The third and final time, the Jaws attempted to close her terrible maw around our knight, the most lovely and courageous knight we have ever known.  Dame Lanessa, she who, though of common blood, was third in line to be king--and yes, it says king, not queen--lifted her flute once again, and unleashed the full power of the Penumbra stored inside of it.  The Jaws of Despair were rent in twain, and fell upon the ruined mountains in two pieces, weakened and ravaged by Dame Lanessa’s mighty song.

And Dame Lanessa stood above the Hand’s broken progeny, and challenged her to fight her, and to fall as her daughter had.

And the Hand of Despair, whose deeds are too awful to repeat, and whose countenance is too terrifying to comprehend, lifted her great talon.  She reached into our poor Dame’s chest, and ripped out her heart, allowing her corpse to fall and birth a terrible tree, by which more of her horrible fruit was born.

And the Hand of Despair was satisfied.  She collected her vile fruit, and her broken child, and she took them away from our kingdom.

We give our praise to Dame Lanessa, slayer of pirates, the wall upon which would-be-conquerers broke themselves on, breaker of the Jaws of Despair, a common-born knight who was greater than any before, and still greater than any since.  We praise her memory, may it last until every star has burned away, and darkness has reclaimed the entirety of the universe.

 

“...So, like...do you have any stories that aren’t, like, totally depressing?”

“AMBER!  Sheesh!”  Auggie nudged her.

“What!?  It’s, like, true!”

“So, what...Lanessa took the name of some great hero?”  June frowned.  “Or is named after her, or something.”

“There are...a lot of really really unpleasant options, here.”  Janice grimaced.  “The Research Buddies have talked about it at length and at first we thought that Lanessa was probably a super-common name in Bellasar, but it looks like it’s the opposite.  Naming your kid after a legendary figure is seen as a HUGE mark of vanity on the parents’ part.”

Cassie nodded.  “It’s true.  They see it as the parent placing a huge burden on the child--namely, the legacy of the legend--for their own profit, as parents of said legend.  So it is unlikely that Lanessa is her name--not impossible, but it is a rare name.”

“Buuuuuut, we think the bad fruit thing might be a metaphor.  In that a monster or something got made from Lanessa’s body--or, worse, that the same thing that happened to the Puppetrix happened to Lanessa.”  Janice sighed.  “That could really be what was left of her.  The real Lanessa, if there was one.”

“Or, it could be an agent of Despair, assuming the name as a form of irony.”  Cassie closed the book.  “Unfortunately, it’s impossible to tell without more information.  We don’t even know who Hal thinks she is, beyond his lover.”

“So, it’s a lead that brings up more questions, but they’re questions we weren’t thinking about asking.”  June thought about that for a moment.  “It would explain why everyone’s so keen on the Penumbra.  Remember how obsessive the Puppetrix was with it?  Especially after she started channeling Despair directly?”

“Oh no!”  Faye looked up at June, eyes wide.  “Do you think she could be manipulating Hal like the Puppetrix manipulated people?”

“It’s possible, unfortunately.  But...maybe not?”  June leaned back and thought some more.  “I didn’t burn any strings after I overcharged his star, because Lanessa was right there, whispering to him almost immediately.”

“Wait.”  Janice looked to Auggie, June, Octy, and Cassie.  “She did?  Right there with you guys watching?”

“Yeah!”  Auggie said from where she had migrated, which was half-laying on Amber’s lap.  “It’s almost like she wanted us to see it.”

Janice stood up and started to pace.  “Okay, so...what do we know about Lanessa?”

“She’s probably the one behind everything that’s going on.”  June said.  “And she deliberately let us see her manipulating Hal.”

“And she’s named after, like, some dead hero woman who might, like, be a monster now?  And, like, might actually be that monster?”

“Right, Amber.”  Janice paced quicker.  “There’s something we’re missing.  What’s she even trying to do, here?”

“And why did she harass me when I went to blow off steam?”

“Either she does not think we can stop whatever she has planned,”  Avril said, the first words she had said since the earlier debate.  “Or, us figuring out what she is up to and who she is factors into her plan.”

“Or discovering it does nothing to stop it.”  Octavian thought about it for an additional moment.  “Or, perhaps, she wants us to guess during her dramatic reveal.  If she’s a villain worth her salt, she’ll have a decent dramatic reveal.”

Auggie glared at her brother, and he pretended not to notice.

“Anyway,”  Janice sat back down in her seat.  “We have one story left, and it’s not really sad so much as kinda creepy.  Well.  There are sad parts but it’s more unsettling.  Gemini wanted to read it, but she’s--”

“Awake.”  Gemini said from her bed.  “I’m awake.  Did we do my story, yet?”

“Nope!  We were just getting to it.  We paused a bit while we were talking about Lanessa theories.”  Janice stood and walked over to Gemini’s bed.  She looked at her cast-covered arms.  “How’re you going to turn the pages!”

“I’ll do it!”  Auggie said, springing up and sitting on the edge of Gemini’s bed.  “Anything for my bestest pal, Gemini.  Gimme the book, Jan!”

“No!  I don’t need your help, Levey.”

“Sure you do!  It’s okay, bestest pal Gemini, I’m happy to help.”  She took the book and put it on Gemini’s lap, and then opened it to the bookmark point.  “Anything for you!  I love my bestest friend in the whole wide world.”

Gemini was blushing from anger and possibly something else.  Amber was staring with a frown set in her lips.  Faye saw this and immediately gave Amber a preventative hug, which caused Amber to become too surprised and flustered to be jealous.

“FINE!”  Gemini said, a little too forcefully.  “I mean, whatever, Levey, geeze.  It doesn’t bother me if you want to be nice to me.  Just keep up with my reading.”

“Sure thing, buddy!”

Gemini gave Auggie a flat look, and then looked down at the book that was now in her lap.

 

It came from a darkness--

 

“Like, are you doing the dark and stormy night thing?”

“Seriously, Amber.”  June said, giving her a bemused look.  “What is your problem with story intros?”

“What?!  Like, it’s such the obvious way to go.”  Amber frowned.  “I’m just, like, saying what we’re thinking!”

“I am injured!  For this team!”  Gemini sounded very flustered.  “Just let me read my story!”

“Yeah!”  Auggie gave an exaggerated frown.  “You’re upsetting my super bestest friend, Gemini!”

“I swear to GOD, Levey!”

 

_ A Tale of Despair _

 

As told by Gemini Schumacher, adapted from  _ Oddities and Maelevolences of Known Space _ , by Gorhak et al.

 

It came from a darkness we cannot understand.

Such a thing should be forewarned by storms and comets, the skies burning with omens and cataclysmic forewarning, but when Despair came to my village, we did not know her for what she was.  The only warning we received were the odd, blue flowers that began to grow in our gardens, and along the road, and especially where that charming foreigner was staying, in the inn on the hill.

Such a thing, such a horrible, incomprehensible monster should have reduced us to ruin in days under its awful might.  However, the weeks went on, and no monster killed us.

We killed us.

It turned us on each other.  It knew every dark secret we had, every false word we had spoken, every small insecurity we had, and it used those to use us, our outrage, our guilt, our shame to kill each other.  All in our village hated every other person in the village.  Violence raged in the streets, and death happened nightly.

Everyone was hated, save for the charming stranger.

We all loved the charming stranger.  We did not know the significance in her smile, the daggers in her voice, the malice in the gleam of her mismatched eyes.

We did not know what she was until she left, taking one of our children with her.  A special child, due for her time with the Rangers in mere weeks.  She took this child, and we never saw the charming stranger again.

Fifteen years later, though, after I had joined the Stellar Rangers as an assistant, I saw the child again.

She used to use her magic to make the flowers grow.  Now, she made flowers explode from the chests of Stellar Rangers.  She made the greenery push through their skin, and ate them from within.  All the same odd flowers that had grown around the charming stranger.  The same color as one of her mismatched eyes.

When they killed her, this child I had seen in my village, raised by our village, cried and said she did not know what she was doing.  She said she was so sad, so broken, that she could not control herself.

Twenty years later, I saw them bind Sie.

She was a monster beyond comparison.  She destroyed whole ships full of Stellar Rangers with wave of her terrible hand.  She reached into people and ripped out everything that made them real.

Thousands came to fight her, hundreds survived.

They sealed her away, because they could not destroy her.

I am old, now, but I still work with the Stellar Rangers.

The Vran Sie are still out there.  Waiting.  Searching for their mother.

I will work here until I die, I think.

Until I die, or until I see the charming stranger one last time, and let her take me back to my village.

 

“What’s a see-ay?”  Faye asked, once Gemini was done.

Gemini started to answer, but it was the bed next to her that answered.

“Sie is rumored to be the only surviving child of Despair.”  Senine said, not bothering to move or sit up.  “She was bad news, the worst of them all.  Supposedly, the Stellar Rangers have her in Space Monster Alcatraz, somewhere, if she’s even real.”

“Senine!”  June, Avril, and Faye all said at once.

“Ouch, yes, don’t yell.  My everything hurts.”  Senine frowned.  “I think my eardrums got burst or something when I ruined dogboy’s day.”

“Most of you was close to dead.”  Cassie gave her a look.  “You did more damage to yourself than Jakil did to you.”

“But I did damage to Jakil and didn’t die, that sounds like a win to me.”  Senine looked to the others.  Avril, June, and Faye were now standing right beside her bed.  “Oh, nice, Octy got the hint and got you to safety.  I mean, oh no, I was totally worried about you.”

“Ha.”  Avril said with absolutely no mirth. “That was a very impressive, if incredibly dumb, thing you did.”

“It was either that or get triple-skewered, scalethighs.”  Senine looked at June.  “So, Junior Leader Girl, what’s the situation?”  Faye gingerly hugged Senine and Senine pretended like she was not touched by the gentle display of affection.

“We’re stuck here for the foreseeable future.  I want to try to get some training done so we can maybe trap the Savage Stars, or at least, figure out ways to counter them.  Mr. Vember’s trying to get us some help.”

“Actually, Senine and Miss Hespia,”  Mr. Vember said from the door, “I have good news on that front.  I’ve contacted an old friend, Ms. Kerberus, and she will be bringing her Junior Rangers here to help--at the very least, while Senine recovers.  I think you’re all familiar with her particular troupe.”

June did not immediately comprehend what this meant, but Janice’s eyes widened in surprise, and she said, “Oh, hell.  I mean.  Great!  I’ve been, uh, really missing the band, Mr. Vember.”

Inwardly, however, Janice was very much still cursing.


	13. Episode 13:  Ranger Games, Part 1

June sat on the traditional brooding spot on the Tower, the roof.  It was day two of having buckled down here for protection, and the days had passed mostly as normal--their homework was still delivered, and still expected to be done, despite several of the girls’ protests.  Julius was still often around, either to visit June, Leah, or both.  They were confined to the guest rooms, of which there were more than enough for everyone, as the Tower seemed to have an unusually large amount of room.

She stared out into the park.  She did not hear anyone approach, which is why she nearly jumped when she felt Faye tap her on the shoulder.

“Hi!”  Said Faye, who was face to face with her when she spun around.

“Oh, hey.  Sorry.  I expected you to be, I don’t know, Kara or something.”

“Nope!  They don’t get here for another hour.”  Faye sat down next to June.  “Are you doing okay?  Still thinking about the story?”

June nodded.  “Yeah, I am.”  She looked to the park, again.  She thought she saw someone throwing a frisbee with their dog, way down below.

“Well, what about it?  Maybe I can help!”

“Do you think darkness is evil?”

“Uhhh...”  Faye took a moment to think about it.  “I don’t really know, to be honest!  Maybe I did when I was little, before I knew you.  But I know you like darkness a lot!  And that it’s part of you!  And that it doesn’t hurt your eyes.”

June smiled at that.  “That’s true.  But...the whispering beast, it was a dark thing, right?”

“Well, yeah, I guess, but everything got all evil and jealous and hungry and stuff because it got touched by light.”  Faye shrugged.  “Like, nothing even knew what bad stuff was until it got light.”

“...Huh.”  June looked over at Faye, who was smiling at her.

“And the beast was bad because it wanted to eat the light, but wanting stuff wasn’t a thing it used to do, probably.  So it sounds like light and dark aren’t good or evil?  They’re just things that do stuff!”

“That’s actually a really good point.”

Faye blinked.  “It is?”

“Yeah!  It is.  I feel a lot better, now.  Thanks, Faye.”

Faye blushed, and nudged June with her shoulder.  “I’m sorry if it sounded dumb.”

“No, it sounded really smart.”

Faye’s cheeks went even deeper red, and she got a small, bashful smile.  “Thanks.  No one really calls me smart.”

June smiled at Faye, and Faye looked up to smile at her.  June moved her face a bit closer to Faye’s, and Faye closed her eyes.

And, before they could kiss, someone burst through the door and onto the roof.

“Junie!”  Janice called.

Faye and June were suddenly sitting about a foot from each other.

“Aw, crap, did I ruin a moment?”  Janice stepped out onto the roof.  “I can make myself scarce if you need me to.”

“No, it’s fine!”  June said, immediately kicking herself.  “Really fine.  Nothing was happening.”

“Yeah!  We’re fine, Jan!”  Faye said as she screamed internally.

“Okay.  Sorry.  Honestly, Cassie, Gemma, Amber, and Auggie are being kinda weird and I’m already kinda anxious.”  She sat down on the ledge of the Tower.  “And Avril’s being even broodier than usual.”

“Yeah, she actually tried to come up here, but she saw that I was already here.  There was briefly some awkward co-brooding and she went somewhere else.”  June gave Janice a sympathetic smile.  “Still nervous about the Shining Stars?”

“Oooooh yeah.  Really, really nervous.  That fifth grader did not help things.”  Janice groaned.  “Kara’s gonna lecture me.  I just know it.  And Destiny and Kismet are just going to let it happen.  And Veracity is going to just wander off who-knows-where and come back in time to say how something bad’s about to happen or something.”

“Is she really that bad?”  Faye asked, eyes wide.  “She was a little mean to Junie but she can’t be all bad!  Maybe she’s just really sad about something!”

“Yeah, that’s pretty likely.”  Janice sighed.  “But it doesn’t mean she’s pleasant to be around.”

“What’s the deal with how insecure she is, anyway?”  June asked.  “I don’t understand why she feels so threatened about me having the Penumbra.  We...parted on bad terms about it.  In that she yelled at me and I yelled at her and she ran away crying and saying she was sorry.”

Janice stared at her.  “Are you for real?  You made Kara cry?”  Janice’s voice sounded like she did not know whether to sound amazed or defensive.

“It was when I hated the Penumbra!  Back before me and it were cool!  And she talked about how I’m apparently famous and everyone’s afraid of me like she wishes it was her.”  June sighed.  “I’m not proud of it but I didn’t really have a choice.  It’s not like I wasn’t crying, too.”

Faye’s eyes were wide.  “Oh, Junie!  Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t know.  I just felt sort of awkward and uncomfortable.”

“Wow, okay.”  Janice said, letting out a long breath.  “That explains why she was so sullen for the rest of the time I was with them.  Okay.  So.  Kara’s always been really good at whatever she tries to do.  For a while...people thought maybe she had the Penumbra.  Because she was so good.  But, Kara gets good by practicing a lot, all the time.  So, she gets older, right, and suddenly hears that no, she doesn’t have the Penumbra, some other girl does, and suddenly, nothing she does is good enough to her, anymore.”

“Oh no, that’s awful!”

June frowned.  “Okay but that’s not my fault.”

“She’s not mad at you, June, she’s just taking it out on you.”

“That sounds zero percent better.”

“Junie!”  Faye said, eyes wide.  “She’s hurt!  It’s sad.”

“I know, but...I’m sad too and I don’t make it everyone else’s problem.”

“YOU’RE SAD???!!!”

“I...”  June closed her eyes and shook her head.  “No, Faye, well, yes, but that’s not the problem.  The problem is I don’t know if Kara still has this chip on her shoulder.  The last thing I need is a drama bomb when a group of mercenaries, a desperate prince, and someone who might literally be the devil’s granddaughter are all after me.”

“Okay, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Kara almost certainly still has a chip on her shoulder.  You can basically only hope that her chip is broody and not aggressive.  Broody Kara’s....kind of intense, but manageable.  Aggressive Kara....”  Janice trailed off.

“Worse than what she was like?”

“Ooooooh yeah, a lot worse.”

 

*****

 

“It’s just super great to be here!”  Kara May said as her rainbow-sheened silver hair sparkled behind her.  “Janice!”  She grabbed her in a big hug.  Janice gave June a bewildered expression.  June looked no less confused.  “I missed you, girl!  You need to tell me everything, okay?  And June!”  June was grabbed in a hug.  “I’m so sorry for how I treated you last time.  It won’t happen again, okay?”

They were standing in the entry room of the Tower.  The Shining Stars had just arrived, and approximately zero time had passed from Kara’s appearance and her happy, apologetic outburst.

“Um.”  June had absolutely no idea how to respond.  “Okay.  Yeah, I guess?”

“Great!”  Kara stepped back and looked at the other Stellar Rangers.  Her whole body seemed to sparkle.  “So, I hear you girls are having some trouble!  Well, the Shining Stars are here to help you out for as long as we can!  Right, girls?”

“Right!  Hey, June.”  Destiny smiled at June.  “Sounds like you need to unwind, girl.  Wanna get another duet in?  I brought my guitar.”

June grinned at her.  “You know it!”

“Wow, okay, Destiny.”  Kara stepped in front of her.  “It’s not a contest.  We need to get training!  We don’t have time to slack off.”

“Easy now, Kara.”  Kismet nudged her.  “Relaxing is just as much of a necessity as fighting well.  We don’t want everyone to get all wound up.”

Destiny nodded.  “And get all irritated.”

“And angry.”

“Right.  Hey, maybe you could join our duet and sing along!”

Janice and June shared a bewildered look.

Gemini stepped forward.  “I’ll sing.  It’ll be great, I’d love to sing with talented musicians.  If, you know, Kara can’t.”  Gemini grinned at her, having not disguised the challenge in her words at all.

Destiny and Kismet were both giving unimpressed glares at Gemini.  Kara, however, had developed a very slight eye tick.

“You know.  Maybe I should just.  Sing with...whatever your name is.  Cassie’s evil twin.”  Kara gritted her teeth.

“And maybe have a contest.”  Gemini grinned even more.  Destiny and Kismet’s glares became a bit more surprised and a bit more worried.

“I don’t think--”

Kismet was cut off when Kara stepped forward and said, rather forcefully, “You’re on.”

“You girls play nice.”  Ms. Kerberus said.  She was a tall, rather intimidatingly well muscled, middle-aged woman with bright yellow eyes and flowing grey hair.  “I have to arrange a few things with Mr. Vember.  Remember, we’re only here as long as it takes Stellar Ranger Void to get better.”

“Wait.”  Auggie said.  “What?”

“Yeah, like, what?”  Amber looked right at Ms. Kerberus.  “We, like, really need the help?  Even with help, like, the Savage Stars are like, really tough?”

Ms. Kerberus rolled her eyes.  “There are grown up reasons, dear.  Don’t worry about them, I’m sure you’ll do fine.  You have the Penumbra.”

“What ‘grown up’ reasons?”  Avril asked. 

“Her assistance, Ms. Acosta-Garza,”  Mr. Vember said, walking into the room.  “Would be akin to them fielding the bulk of their soldiers.  The Stellar Rangers are currently assembling a compliment of troops to deal with this very eventuality--however, they would not like to risk war until they are ready.  Whenever they may be.”

“Novias, the children don’t need to know this.”  Ms. Kerberus frowned.  “We should talk about the situation in private.”

“Like, we’re not stupid?”  Amber interrupted, sounding increasingly agitated.  “We need help, and, like, why can’t we have it?”

“Novias.”  Ms. Kerberus walked right past her and took Mr. Vember’s arm.  “We need to discus how we can help you.  Let the children play.”

Amber looked like she was going to say something, but then looked to Veracity, who had not spoken or made any real indication of her appearance until then.  Veracity had stepped near her, put a finger to her lips, and shook her head.  Amber frowned, but said nothing, just looked down with her jaw clenched and obvious frustration in her eyes.  Auggie patted her on the back.

“Um, yes, of course.  Girls, do not go too far from the Tower, if you leave.  I would like you to be as safe as possible.  If you wish to do anything more than simple training, I will be able to set something up for you after my meeting with Natalie--Ms. Kerberus, I mean.”  Mr. Vember seemed both rather uncomfortable and guilty as Ms. Kerberus lead him off, higher in the tower.

“So, uh...”  Destiny looked at the Solar City Stellar Rangers, and then back to the other Shining Stars.  “I guess we have a couple duets to get going?”

 

*****

 

Amber was in the training room, and she could not stop shooting targets.  Every shot followed a quick round ratcheted into the chamber before she fired again.

“You seem a bit on edge.”

Amber turned her head slightly, and saw Cassie out of the corner of her eye.  She turned back to the targets and fired again.  “Like, why are you here?  Shouldn’t you, like, be watching your favorite band and your sister?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing.  You stomped off very quickly.  And I could be saying the same to you--they were once your favorite band, as well.”

Amber shot three targets.  “I, like, don’t want to be near them.  I, like, wanna say really bad things about, like, their guardian?  And, like, they’ll yell at me, and, like, even Auggie?  But, like, am I the only one who thinks, like, that every Stellar Ranger is, like, worthless?  Except, like, Octy and Senine, and, like, sometimes Mr. Vember?”

“We have not met many, but I concede your point.”  Cassie walked over to Amber and sat down in a chair that appeared from the room, just as she needed it.  “Mr. Vember should be able to fight.  I believe it bothers him, to not be able to.  But he also will not break the command, and I am not certain what they hold over him to prevent him from doing so.”

“Whatever.  It doesn’t, like, matter?  He can’t fight.”  Another target burst.  “He won’t fight.  It’s just us?  And now, like, June wants to march us to die?  And, like...like....”  She fired much faster, now, enough that her arm started to feel sore from swift exertion.  “Like...no matter how tough I get, like, Shryk’s going to be stronger?  She’s, like, out of my league, and there are, like, five of them?  Maybe, like, four, if Senine killed Jakil?  They’re going to, like, kill us but June doesn’t seem to, like, care?”

“June, I think, is incapable of doing anything save caring.”  Cassie was watching Amber.

“Whatever.  She doesn’t care she’s going to, like, get us killed.”

“Either she believes we are capable of winning, or she feels guilty that she feels she has caused this.”  Cassie sighed.  “I think we can, however.  We’re capable of winning.”

“Like, you’ve seen them fight?  How can you say that?”

“Because our enemy is possibly quite literally a facet of Despair.  I would rather hope than give in to it.”

Amber snorted.  “You’re, like, almost as dramatic as your boyfriend.”

Cassie gave her a hint of a smile.  “I am, though not as dramatic as your girlfriend.”  Cassie paused.  “I was not sure, of you and her, at first.  She insisted I give you a chance, that I did not appreciate the full situation.  I suppose she was right.”

Amber did not reply to that, but she also did not shoot.

“Perhaps you should give that chance also to June.”

“...I don’t, like....I don’t like want to have to watch Auggie die.  Or Faye or, like, even Gemini?  I don’t want to.  This sucks.”

“I know.”  Cassie looked down at her lap.  “I also do not want to watch anyone die.  However...if Lanessa is a creature of Despair...  I do not know how true the stories are, but the Jaws of Despair was capable of so much devastation.  So much.  I don’t want to watch my friends die, but I also don’t want to do nothing while they die.”

“Yeah.  Like.  I guess.”  Amber put down her rifle.  She was crying.

“Do you...hug?  Do you need a hug?  I know you aren’t necessarily the type--”

Amber turned to Cassie and hugged her.  Cassie gingerly hugged her back.

When Amber pulled away, she said, “Like, what do you think of, like...the, like, Shining Stars?”

“I’m not certain.  As stated, they were my favorite band, and we got along with them at the after party well enough.”  Cassie sighed.  “But, on the other hand, Janice is wary of them, and I trust her.”

“I, like....”  Amber paused.  “Remember when we fought the like, Hollow Heart guys with them?  The, like, Stellar Swords?”

Cassie nodded.

“They, like...I remember, like, dropping my gun, and, like, looking up, and just...just like seeing them rip the Stellar Swords apart?  Like...I just dropped it again because like I couldn’t...like...”  Amber’s aim was shaking, the next shot hit the wall rather than the target.  “June, like, always at least tries for surrender?  But, like...they just killed them?  And it bothers me.”

Cassie patted her on the back.  “That is understandable.  Perhaps, when that therapist arrives, you can tell them about it?”

“Yeah.  Like.  Maybe.”

 

*****

 

“Your girls are very willful, Novias.”  Ms. Kerberus said as she sat down.

“Yes, they are.  They’ve also had a very rough time, Natalie.”  Mr. Vember sat at his desk.  “They have been pushed very hard in recent days.  Even their vacation had them attacked by the Puppetrix.”

“Hm.”  Ms. Kerberus tapped her hand against the desk.  “And you’re sure these Savage Stars are a legitimate threat?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

She sighed.  “I’m sorry, Novias.  But you know we can’t provoke a war.”

“With one man.”

“A man with a private army, Novias.  I would love to stay and help--you know that.”

Mr. Vember glanced out his window.  “Yes, I suppose I do.”

“I wish she hadn’t provoked me like that.”  Ms. Kerberus frowned.  “I don’t like the girls knowing what Stellar Ranger bureaucracy is actually like.”

“A vast organization, made up of the very people they do not allow to fight?  One that is designed to deal with massive threats, such as the Daughters of Despair, which no longer exist?  One that barely cares about the individual acts on planets so long as they do not turn into what they consider a viable threat?”  Mr. Vember’s voice rose.  “Or perhaps that they keep their most experienced members from fighting in the fear that they may also create another of these threats?”

Ms. Kerberus had stayed calm throughout his rant, and nodded.  “Yes. It’s better to keep them less aware of the entire situation.  Ignorance suppresses hopelessness.”

“Natalie, these girls are going against extremely difficult odds, and you would have me keep them in the dark about them?  About how difficult getting help actually is?”  Mr. Vember made a frustrated noise.  “I almost wish their theory about a Vran Sie being involved is true, so that the Stellar Ranger brass has no choice but to intervene.”

Ms. Kerberus frowned.  “That’s not funny, Novias.”

“I am not intending it to be.”

She made an exasperated noise.  “Alright, alright.  I will stay until they tell me to bring the girls back--but not any longer than that.  Past the time it takes your wounded ranger to recover, as long as they will let me.”

“Are you certain,”  Mr. Vember began, the ghost of a wry smile on his lips, “that your touring schedule will allow that?”

“The fans will manage with a slight hiccup.  They have before, while we dealt with that ‘haunted’ amusement park.”  Ms. Kerberus smiled slightly in return.  “I’m sorry, Novias.  I’ll do all I can.  It’s the least I can do for you saving me when we were children.”

“It was a spelling bee, Nat, not a devouring goreslurper.”

“The goreslurper didn’t cause us nearly as much stress as that spelling bee...or keeping almost  half a dozen children in line.  How can you even manage approaching two-dozen?”

Mr. Vember laughed.  “I manage.  Somehow.  Leah spent no small amount of effort keeping me on my toes and getting accustomed to them.”

Ms. Kerberus’s expression grew a bit more serious.  “Have you thought about unbinding her star?  It sounds as though you need all the help you can get.”

“I....”  His smile fell.  “I have...considered it.  But...I’m worried. I don’t want her to take after her mother and hurt innocents by complete accident.”

“At least you know her Star Heart is somewhere safe.  Or with someone safe, as the case may be.”

“There are still destructive hearts out there....”  He looked towards the window.  “It was a mistake to do in the first place, but the longer it goes...the more I worry that if the seal is removed, all of her released power will come out at once.”

“It’s a very real hazard, unfortunately.”  Ms. Kerberus gave him a sympathetic look.  “Have you talked to her about it?”

“Yes.  She’s of a mixed mind about it.  As she gets older, she seems to both accept the situation more--as well as, I fell, resent the situation under that acceptance.  I fear I am not a very good father.”

“I’m sure you’re a wondering father, Novias.  And an excellent Senior Ranger, despite your love of training children to be insubordinate.”

Mr. Vember laughed.  “That, I’m afraid, is largely Senine’s influence.”

 

*****

 

Senine groaned in bed, and laid down with a grunt of annoyance.  For the first time since her injury, she was alone in the infirmary.  Despite having had a growing annoyance with the constant sounds of other people, she now felt rather lonely and disconnected, especially given that Cassie had confiscated her phone, citing the last time she was bedridden as her motive.

She looked up with a bit more enthusiasm than she had intended when the door opened, and Avril stepped inside.

“Aw, Sea Foam, you came to see me.  That’s sweet.  You can’t see my butt from this angle, just so you know.”

“Do not make me leave right after I got here.”  Avril frowned.  “I just wanted to check up on you.  And thank you.”

“Well, gee, I’m doing okay aside from being bored out of my skull--which, thankfully, Cassie healed the fracture in--and you don’t need to thank me for my butt, that’s basically one part genetics and two parts bad eating habits.”

“Not for your butt.  For beating the Savage Star.”

“You know what they say, Lady Triton, any fight you can be teleported from and right into a hospital bed is a good one.”

Avril made a flustered noise.  “You’re being difficult, as usual.”

“I just love the expression you make when you get annoyed by me.”  Senine smiled.  “But yeah, really, it’s no big deal.  Just another day for a full-fledged Stellar Ranger.”

Avril sat on the edge of Senine’s bed.  “You don’t like to brag about important things, do you?”

“It’s not an important thing.  Yeah, I’m a badass, I got my ass kicked.  So what?  Tomorrow, I’ll kick another ass, and maybe get my ass kicked, again.”  Senine shrugged.  “It’s just a day in the life of being me.”

“I’m not sure how you can be so positive about it.  You nearly died.  We’re always on the edge of dying around the Savage Stars.”

“We haven’t died yet.  I agree with June, we need to train, and next time’ll be different.  Didn’t you vote that way, too?”

Avril looked markedly guilty.  “Yes.”

“But you don’t believe in it as much as you maybe should considering how dangerous it is.”

Avril nodded.  “I don’t want to tell June that I don’t believe in her....That wasn’t mean to sound so harsh.”

“Listen.  The fighting’s going to happen.  They’re coming after all of us--not just June.  I don’t think they’d take ‘I don’t think I can’ as an answer.  I think not getting ready to fight’s just going to get us split up and killed faster.  And I’d rather die taking them with me than not even trying.”

Avril watched Senine for a moment.  “You think you’re expendable.”

“Haha, wow, that did not take you long to figure out, huh?”

“It’s not true.”

Senine shrugged.  “Have to die sooner or later, and I’d rather it be me than someone who’s going to live a long time.”

“Wouldn’t that be a good reason for you to treasure what you have?”

“I am.  By using it to help people.”

“But...”

Senine gave Avril a genuine smile.  “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere for a while.  The people around here keep trying to keep me alive for some reason.”

“I can think of a few.  I wasn’t talking about your butt.  I know that’s what you would say.”

“Hell, Mermaid, if you know me so well, maybe we should just get married already.”

Avril started to say something, when the door opened.  Veracity stepped in the room, pale against her pink tank top and frilly short skirt.  Her cane tapped the ground in front of her, and every time she moved, the skull hair ornaments holding her fluffy hair in pigtails bounced.

“Oh, hey, my very own pop star visitor.  Which one are you, again?”

“The blind one.”  Veracity moved smoothly over to the bed, tapping the cane more out of practice than actual need.  Her eyes did not even glance at the beds, tables, and chairs she effortlessly sidestepped.  “You are Senine Nocturne, and Avril Acosta-Garza.  My name is Veracity Jones. I wanted to meet you.”

“Well, I’m a captive audience.”  Senine stretched out, and then winced.  “Sorry, if you’re here to compare keyboard skills, it’ll have to wait until after my fingers are recovering from being shattered.”

Avril gave her a curious look.  “You play keyboard?”

“Technically I play classical piano, Lady Namor.”

“Not exactly.”  Veracity sat next to Avril and turned towards Senine.  “I just wanted to meet you, given we’re going to be dating at some point.”

Senine and Avril both shared a confused look.  Senine gave Veracity a speculative once-over.  “Well, you’re hot, and I do appreciate you being forward, but...does that line ever really work?”

“It doesn’t really matter if it works or not.  We’re going to date at some point.”  Veracity shrugged.  “I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen that telling you this doesn’t actually change anything about this fact.  So, I thought I’d come in to get an idea of what that’s going to be like, before it happens--and also, before the brewing train wreck the others are participating in comes to fruition.”

“Train wreck?”  Avril asked.  She shifted awkwardly in her seat.

Veracity nodded.  “Oh, yes.  My bandmates are...not as good at arranging things as I am.”

 

******

 

Janice paced inside her bunk room, one she shared with Gemini.  Faye was sitting on her bed, giving her a warm smile.  “I’m sorry to bring you here when you could be hearing the contests, Faye, I just want someone to bounce ideas off of.”

“It’s okay!  Destiny said she wanted to do a private jam with Junie, and I only really wanted to see that one because I love it when Junie plays guitar, and I get to see Junie play guitar all the time!  So I don’t mind missing it..”

“Right.  Why did Auggie run off to watch Gemma and Kara sing so quickly, by the way?”

“Oh!  Gemini and Cassie really great voices.  Or a really great voice?  They have the same voice.  But it’s good.  Auggie really likes it, but Cassie never sings, so she never gets to hear it.”

Janice nodded.  “Yeah, that makes sense.  Anyway, okay.  Kara is acting really, really weird.”

“She’s being nice!”

“Yeah, and that’s the weird part.  I mean, don’t get me wrong.  Kara used to be my best friend, but Kara’s...abrasive?  In a way that no one here is abrasive.  In pretty much the opposite way that Amber’s abrasive.”

Faye quirked her head to the side in confusion.

“Okay, so, Amber’s abrasive because she says things pretty bluntly and doesn’t really seem to feel the need to not say certain things.”

“Oh!  Yeah!  I like it, she’s always been really direct.  Even when she was a bit meaner.”

“Right!  You get me.  Anyhoo, it’s really hard for Kara to say what she means directly, but she won’t hesitate to, like, make her point implied all over the place--but it’s not her point!”  Janice gestured emphatically as she spoke.  Faye followed her motions with rapt attention.  “The end point is usually something she doesn’t like about herself, and she’s using it to subtly-not-subtly put someone else down about the thing she’s insecure about, to make herself feel better.”

“I see!”  Faye said, having not been able to follow that at all.

Janice sighed.  “Okay, say you feel bad because you think you’re not good enough at something.  So, you find someone who you see as better at it and then start implying that you don’t think they’re very good at it.”

“But that’s mean!”

“Kara is mean!  Most of the time.  When people she doesn’t know very well are around.  And sometimes with close friends.  But that’s not important.”  Janice continued to pace.  “There has to be a reason she’s so polite, now, even when Gemma pushed her buttons--how did she even know the buttons to push, by the way?”

“Oh, Cassie and Gemini are really competitive, but Gemini’s more competitive.  That was a fluke.  I don’t think she even knew Kara would take the bait.”

“Good to know that my new friend’s perfectly designed to agitate my old friend.”  Janice continued to pace.  “I don’t understand it.”

“Maybe she got nicer!  It’s been a few months since you’ve talked to her, right?”

“Right.”

“Amber used to be way way meaner!  And she got nice.  Maybe that’s what happened with Kara!”

“Maybe.  I don’t know.  She was being really friendly, but when she started to slip, Destiny and Kismet seemed ready for it.”

“Well, maybe they helped her get better!”

“I dunno.  Destiny and Kismet are pretty cool, but they don’t usually make Kara play nice like this.  Or, well, she doesn’t listen to them as much.”  Amber threw her hands in the air.  “Kara’s acting completely differently and I don’t know why!  If she could be nice, why couldn’t she be nice when I was around?”

Faye got up and hugged Janice.  Janice froze for a second, and then hugged back.  “Thanks, Faye.  Sorry for ranting to you, I just...If she’s genuinely trying to be nice on her own or with their advice...why now?  Why couldn’t she do it before I decided to leave and ruin the band?”

“Do you miss the band?”

Janice pulled away and threw her hands up.  “Yes?  No?  I have no idea, to be honest.  I love you guys, a lot.  And I like being in one place, and being able to do sports, and, you know?  I kind of like helping you guys with your big, important, super-villain stopping missions.  It’s way more dangerous than the rubber mask squad but...it feels more important, too?  I just....”  Janice trailed off.  “I miss being famous.  And not just being famous for ruining the Shining Stars.”

“You didn’t ruin them! You just did your own thing!  Lots of people leave bands and they’re still fine.”

“Yeah, and but most of the time, no one likes them anymore.”

“So?  The ones that are left are still really good!”

“...Yeah, I guess.  But then I get sad that they aren’t suffering without me!”  Janice slumped.  “It’s like either way I lose.”

“Things we feel don’t always make sense!  Look at me!”  Faye smiled.  “I fell head over heels for a girl I barely knew!”

“...Okay, you have a point.  I don’t know if that makes me feel any better, but, thanks, Faye.”  Janice paused, and something seemed to dawn on her.  “Wait.  You said that Destiny and June are playing guitar alone?  Without even Kismet there?  Down--I’m guessing--by the fountain below?”

“Yeah!  Kismet’s hanging with Gemini and Kara and Auggie!”

“Oh.”  Janice started out the door.  “Oh no.  She wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t what?”

“We need to get down there fast.  This isn’t Kara’s plan.  It’s Destiny’s.”

 

*****

 

“So, wait.”  Auggie said from where they had located for Kara and Gemini’s singing contest.  “I’m confused.  How does a singing contest even work?”

“We see who has the better voice, obviously.”  Kara said.

“As judged by who, your panel of two biased judges?”  Auggie rolled her eyes.  “It’s me and Kismet.  I’m going to vote for Gemini because she’s my bestest friend in the whole wide world.”

“GOD, Levey, shut your mouth!”

“Aw, I love you too, friend!”

Kismet sighed.  “Yeah, and I’m probably gonna vote for the person I play bass for every day.”

“Let’s see who can hit the higher note, then.”

Gemni groaned.  “Come on, don’t pick a fight that you know you’re going to win, that’s cheating.  My voice is obviously lower than yours.”

“Ugh, fine, do you have any suggestions?”

“Obviously  We go with who can do the lower voice.”

Kara glared at her.

Kismet beckoned Auggie over.  “It’s obvious these two aren’t going to come up with anything.”

“Nope.”

Behind them, Kara and Gemini started to aggressively warm up at each other.  Kara’s voice was light and melodical, whereas Gemini’s was throaty and full.  

“Huh.  She’s good.”  Kismet eyed Gemini.  “She’s got a better range than I thought she’d have.”

“Yeah.  She and Cassie both have great voices.”  Auggie sighed with a smile.  “Kara’s pretty good, too!  I guess a big chunk of the world already knows that, though.  But yeah, think it’s up to us to figure it out how they’re going to do this.”

“We know they’re both good singers.”

“Right.”

“With great voices that are also really different.”

Auggie nodded.  “Again, right.  They can’t really be judged by the same rules.”

“Soooo, maybe we need a lyrical challenge.”

Kara and Gemini were still warming up aggressively.  Kara held her highest notes for as long as she could, and Gemini went just under Kara’s lowest note and made a point of hitting that as often as possible.

“Like...a rap battle?”

Kismet grinned.  “Auggie, I like you.  Let’s do it.”

 

A few moments later, both Kara and Gemini were giving Auggie and Kismet nonplussed looks.

“A rap battle?  Really, Kismet?”  Kara said, expertly disguising her utter lack of faith in her rapping ability.

“Yeah, Levey, way to give me another one that’d be no contest for me.”  Gemini said, hiding any insecurity she felt about the concept in her brag.

“Excuse me?”  Kara turned to Gemini.  “I wouldn’t have a chance?”

“You heard me.”

“Okay.”  Auggie glanced at Kismet.  “I think we’ve unlocked something terrible.”

“Terribly awesome.”

 

*****

 

Destiny and June were playing in complete sync.  Even when the notes were not identical, they always fit what the other one was playing perfectly, even though neither of them had really planned how it was going to go at all.  Each melody that Destiny started was joined by June, and each bridge or solo that June fell into was instantly accompanied by Destiny’s guitar eagerly joining in.

They played like this for nearly half an hour before moving into a mutual finale, after which Destiny and June put down their guitars, looked at each other, and then grinned widely.

“Oh, wow, I needed that, thanks.”  June said, letting her guitar rest across her lap.

“No problem, you seemed like you did, with all the Savage Star stuff and being locked up for a few days.”

“Yeah.”  June sighed and leaned back against the fountain.  “I haven’t been able to...actually relax since....”  She thought for a moment.  “When I got my hair cut, before school.”

“You cut your hair?  Was it just a trim or something?”

“Oh, no.  When I go Penumbral my hair goes to a set length, and it doesn’t go back when I change back.  So, basically, it’s the end of any haircut I get.”  June pulled her braid around and eyed it with a small amount of annoyance.  “I don’t want to get it cut again until we aren’t being threatened by a bunch of jerks.”

“Soooo...what’s it like?  Not the threatened part, the Penumbra.”

June looked down at her guitar and idly strummed one of the strings.  “It’s hard to describe.”

“Try me.”

“It’s like...you have this big dam, holding back a few thousand lakes’ worth of water.  And instead of floodgates there’s a single spigot on it, and that’s the only way to get water.  And I can only really get a small amount of water at a time, but every time I do, I’m afraid that turning on the faucet might make the water rush through it too fast, and bring the whole dam down.  It’s the same with Nemsis, really, so I have TWO dams, but one’s....I don’t know, gentler than the other?  It’s calmer, but gives less water.  This metaphor is falling apart.”

“I think I get it.”  Destiny was looking right at June, something June was painfully aware of.  Her eyes were pale blue, almost white.  “It’s a lot of power you can’t always control.”

“Yeah.  But, like, it’s not just that.  I can only really access about one percent of it, give or take.  And every time I use it, I can feel that I can take more, and if I do...”  June strummed another string.  “The entire dam’s coming down.”

“Wow.  That’s pretty intense.”

June nodded.  Destiny scooted a bit closer to her.  “Sounds like you could use more than just a break, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Well.”  Destiny said, smiling at June.  “Let’s see about giving it to you.”

  
  


*****

 

Kara smirked at Gemini.  A beat had been put in the background.  “It’s not too late for you to back out.”

“That’s funny.  I was about to say the same to you.”

Kara shook out her limbs, gave one last glance at Gemini, and then began.

“When you dazzle as bright as a crystal-clear sky

You end up amazing at whatever you try

There's a song in my heart by a brilliant star

And when I put it onstage, I'm adored from afar

Not a dry eye passing by, touching lyrics make 'em cry

I can make a top forty out of a sigh

It's magic, my element, my skill and my gift

I'm a powerhouse that'll send you adrift

My focus never breaks, neither does a sweat

It's a cold day in June before I lose a bet

You want to be my nemesis? Better get real

I bend spells and enemies alike to my will

If the shine of my hair doesn't blind you, you'll see

Put the 'stellar' in ranger and you'll come up with me.”

Gemini tried not to stare.  She immediately shook it off, closed her eyes, and then began as she opened them.

“I might be deaf after that cacophony

God knows it left me in agony

Do they put your band up in a vomitory?

Or is there somewhere else they feature a wannabe?

One day you'll need to find a fucking grip

Have you tried looking in your Freudian slip?

For all the shit that you say you've mastered,

Seems to me you're just an inferior bastard

It's kind of amazing how your ego ascends

Even though you've got a full head of split ends

Your brain's gotta be otherwise desolate

So it's all down to me to abrogate

You're whiny, pathetic, and way out of tune

If you think you've got jack-fucking-shit on June”

Kismet glanced over at Auggie.  “That mighta been cooler if they hadn’t both mentioned June.”

“Oh, right.”  Auggie said.  “Forgot to mention, Gemini’s also obsessed with June.”

“Wow, is everyone obsessed with June but me?”

“I’m not!”

“Nice, you’re officially my Solar City Friend.”

“Hey!”  Kara called, hands on her hips.  “We need to know which of us won!”

“Oh.”  Kismet paused, glanced at the time on her phone, and then said, “Maybe go a few more rounds?”

“You!”  Janice cried as she burst into the entry room, pointing at Kismet.  “Where’s Destiny?”

“Janice, hey.”  Kismet said with a flat, amused tone.  “Missed you, girl.”

“Don’t ‘missed you, girl’ me!  You and Destiny are scheming!  Lemme go, I’m going down to the fountain!”  Janice started towards the flat, round platform that served as the point entry point between the fountain below and the tower.  Kismet moved to intercept her.

“Uh-uh.  You should stay here!  You can listen to Kara and Gemini do their rap battle thing.”

“No!  I don’t believe you!”  Janice tried to push past Kismet, but she moved to stay between them.  “You know this is shady.”

“Well, I don’t believe you, giving up on us.”  Kismet replied.  “Plus, what’s the harm in little sis getting some affection?”

“What.”  Faye growled.

“She’s not single!”  Janice pointed at Faye.

“...Oh.  Huh.”

“Wait, wait, what’s going--”  Auggie began, and then immediately zoomed to Faye, who had started towards the exit to the Tower.  She was snarling under her breath.

“Faye-Faye.”  Auggie put her hand on Faye’s shoulder.  “Calm down.  It’s a misunderstanding!”

Faye spun at Auggie and let out a loud bark, to which Auggie leapt back.  Faye’s eyes immediately went wide.  “Oh my gosh, Auggie!  I’m sorry!”

Kismet was staring.  Janice moved past her and to the exit.  “I’m going to stop her before something stupid happens.”

She was instantly transported down, just in time to see Destiny pressing a kiss to a confused and alarmed June’s lips.

 

Several moments earlier, Destiny and June had been casually talking.

June was not even sure what they had been talking about.  Her mind was completely empty.

This was her first kiss.

That snapped June back into her head and she scrambled to her feet, stepping back and away from Destiny.  This led directly to her falling backwards, into the fountain, with a pronounced splash.

“...Not the worst reaction I’ve gotten to kissing me.”  Destiny shrugged.  “But we can work on that.”

“Destiny!”  Janice shouted.  “What the heck???”

“Oh, hey, Jan.  Did you get by Kismet?”

“Yes!!!  To stop you!!!  June isn’t single you dummy!”

“Eh.”  Destiny shrugged.  “I’ll just hit on her girlfriend or boyfriend and date them, too.  You really worry too much.  Who’s she even dating?”

On que, Faye teleported down.  Her eyes were narrowed, and her throat rumbled in a growl.  Her hands were furred with long, sharp claws extending from her fingers, and the fangs growing in her mouth were large enough that her lips had trouble hiding them.

“Holy shit.”  Destiny said, eyes wide.

“Oh, no, Faye!  I thought Auggie calmed you down!”

“She did!  I am calm!  I was calm.  Until...until...you!”  Faye crossed the distance between herself and Destiny almost instantly.  “You’re not gonna take my Junie away from me!”

June pushed herself up, out of the fountain, and shook herself off.  “Calm down, Faye-Faye, no one’s taking me away.”

“Junie!”  Faye turned towards her, and immediately calmed down.  Her fangs and claws retracted.  She ran over to and helped her out of the fountain.  “Are you okay?  Did she hurt you?”

“...I think my life just passed before my eyes.”  Destiny murmured.  She looked over at Janice.  “Did you know she was that scary?”

“Not, like, exactly that scary but yeah, pretty much.”

“No, she just kissed me.  It’s fine.  I fell into the water getting away--”

Faye twitched.  “She...kissed you?”

“...Yes?  I’m sorry, I don’t know how it happened it just...”

Faye slowly turned towards Destiny.  There were tears in her eyes and a growl in her throat.

“It’s just a kiss.”  Destiny said from behind Janice.  “Really, I was just testing the waters.  It’s not a big deal.”

Faye stamped her feet, and the fountain cracked under her foot.  “You  _ kissed _ her!  I haven’t!  We haven’t!  I...”

June hugged Faye, and Faye immediately curled into her, hugging her tightly enough that June was pretty sure she was going to bruise.

Auggie, Kara, Kismet, and Gemini were down in the next moment.  Auggie breathed a sigh of relief.

“See?  I told you they were fine.”  Gemini said.  “I can tell when people are about to die or get seriously injured.”

“So did your powers tell you about your ego before our rap battle?”  Kara smirked at Gemini.

Gemini narrowed her eyes.  “No, but it told me about yours.”

Destiny awkwardly stood there as Kismet walked over to her.  “Didn’t go well, sis?”

“Nope.”

“You missed Kara and Gemini rapping.  It was pretty great.”

“Did I come at a bad time?”

June immediately turned towards the source of the voice and saw Prince Halloway Decembren standing at the edge of the central ring that contained the fountain.  He gave a wave and a sheepish, bright smile.  “Sorry, I only really meant to contact June, but it looks like you guys are a bit--”

Hal was interrupted when an arrow landed at his feet.  Octy glided out of a nearby tree, sparkling in a cool autumn breeze, and landed between the girls and Hal.

“Oh my god, Octy.”  Auggie rolled her eyes.  “You were just waiting in that tree for Hal to show up so you could dramatically enter!”

“Wow.”  Destiny said.

“Don’t fall for it!  It’s a deliberate attempt to impress you!”

“Yeah, wow.”  Kismet looked over at Janice.  “Is he single?”

“Nope.”

“Damnit!”  Kismet kicked the ground.  “Are any of you single?”

“I am.”  Janice said.  “And Gemini.  And Senine.  Maybe?  I can never tell.”

“Senine doesn’t buy cars.”  Hal said with a fond smile.  “She rents them.”

Octatian nocked an arrow and pointed it at Hal.  “Only Senine’s friends can say the rental car metaphor, and you, cad, are no longer Senine’s friend.”

“I’m just here to talk to June.  That’s all.”  Hal put his hands up.  “But if it makes you feel better, no one has to leave.”

June brushed some of the water off of her.  “The answer’s still no, Hal.  We tried it once and it didn’t work--you almost exploded!  I don’t understand why you’re still doing this.”

“We can try a different route!  Maybe start with less power and build up.  Please, June, don’t let one setback let me die.”

Faye stepped between the two of them.  “Go away.  Junie said no.”

“Yeah!”  Auggie said.  “You only wanna do this because that Lanessa lady keeps telling you!  She’s using you, Hal!  She’s just some, like, Despair-worshipping jerk trying to get you to--”

The air around Hal suddenly flared, and the waves of heat could be felt from the fountain, turning pleasant autumn chill into a baking summer heat.  He glared right at Auggie and snapped, “Don’t talk about my beloved like that.”

“It’s true.”  June said, stepping past Faye.  “She whispered to you right after the explosion, remember?”

“I...”  Hal looked confused for a moment, before becoming resolute.  “Yes, of course.  She helped me get up after I was wounded.  She’s a good woman who’s helping me, unlike you.”

“She isn’t.”  June stepped closer.  “She’s bad news.  She showed up to...I don’t know, taunt me or something, when I was alone.  Did she tell you about that?”

“She...she wouldn’t.”

“We...”  June seemed unsure, but continued anyway.  The Shining Stars mostly looked confused.  “We think she’s a star vampire, maybe, either taking Dame Lanessa’s name or---”

“ENOUGH!”  Hal snarled, and a blast of plasma surged right towards June.  June’s eyes widened, but she did not have enough time to shield herself with the Penumbra.

The blast hit something instead of her, however.  Kara stood in front of June with a shimmering, rainbow-colored shield of hard light in front of her.  “June, you okay?”

June gave her a stunned nod.  Faye, Auggie, Janice, and Gemini all ran over to her.  Destiny and Kismet were now flanking Kara, both with their axes out--axes with fiery blades for Kismet and icy blades for Destiny.  Kara let the shield drop, and summoned her crystalline Prism Staff.

“I...” Hal took a step back.  “June, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

Octavian moved up, and nodded towards the junior rangers, and a wall of whirling wind sprung up in front of them, getting surprised yelps from the March Twins and Kara.  “It’s time for you to go, Hal.”

“I didn’t--”

Octavian shot an arrow that passed close enough to Hal’s face for a fletching to brush his cheek, opening a small wound.  “It’s time for you to  _ go _ , Hal.”

Prince Decembren gave one last look at June, and then vanished.

The windwall faded, and Octy turned to the others.  “So!  Shall we get back into the tower, then?”

 

*****

 

“You got to leave the tower?”  Amber said with a pout.  “I’ve, like, wanted to leave the tower for days!”

They were seated in the library--all of the junior rangers were there, save Avril and Veracity, and with the addition of Octavian, who was sitting on the table, next to Cassie.

“Sorry, there was a crisis.  Plus, Hal was there so you didn’t really miss things beyond a fight almost breaking out.”  Auggie patted her on the leg.

“So, why didn’t you shoot that guy?”  Destiny asked.  She and her sister were sitting a bit away from June and Faye.  Faye was currently sitting on June’s lap and occasionally glaring in their direction.  “You had the chance.”

“He used to be a friend.”  Octy said, looking down at his lap.  “I couldn’t.”

“He almost barbecued June.”  Kismet said.  “That’s not very friendly.”

Amber looked like she wanted to say something, but did not.

“I don’t want to kill him.”  June said.  “He’s being manipulated.”

Destiny locked eyes with her.  “You sure about that?”

“Yes.  Trust me, I’ve met Lanessa and something’s seriously not right with her.”

Kismet and Destiny shared a look.

“Junie’s right.”  Faye said with a growl.  “Don’t be mean to her.”

“You mean don’t question her?”  Kismet asked.  “That’s not how I work.”

“It’s, like, how you work with Ms. Kerberus?”  Amber said from her spot by Auggie.  “She like seems to not like to tell you guys, like, anything?  Do you get the, like, ‘it’s grownup talk’ excuse, like, a lot?”

“‘Like’, that’s different.”  Kismet replied.  “You’re just guessing here, and it might be easier just to--”

“We aren’t going to kill him if we can help it.”  June interrupted.

“You almost died.”  Kara said.  She was leaning against a bookcase, away from everyone else, staring at the smooth marks on her skin that were newly healed burns.  “If I had been a second later, less than, you would have died.”

June looked over at her, but Kara was not looking at her.  “...thanks.”

Kara seemed to shudder, and then nodded.  “Y-yeah, totally.  Here to help.”

“But Kara’s right!”  Destiny said, a bit louder.  “You could have died.  If we hadn’t been there, you woulda died.  Just cause he got pissy that you badmouthed his girl.”

“Which is the wrong kind of romantic.”  Kismet added.

“Right.”

Veracity and Avril stepped into the room, then.  Veracity looked serene, whereas Avril had a nervous vein visible under her stoic facade.

“Oh, good.”  Veracity said to Avril.  “We’re right on time.”

Before that statement could be questioned, Mr. Vember and Ms. Kerberus stepped into the room.

“Is everyone alright?”  Mr. Vember asked, walking immediately to June.

June gave a slightly shaky nod.  “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.  Kara’s the only one who got hurt, and Cassie healed her.”

Ms. Kerberus walked over to Kara.  “Was it serious, Kara?”

She shook her head.  “No, Ms. Kerberus, it was just some small burns.”

“If you’re all okay, then Nat--Ms. Kerberus and I have an idea to, perhaps, ease your restlessness, as well as give you some training, if you wish.”  Mr. Vember looked to his fellow Senior Ranger.

“We have devised a series of three events--a maze, an obstacle course, and a special battle arena.”  She looked over all of them.  “Each of you will be divided into teams of two, excluding Octavian, as he is a proper Stellar Ranger.  These teams will be chosen at random.”

Several cries of protest came from the group.  Ms. Kerberus did not even acknowledge them.  “The winners will receive the seats of honor at the closing ceremonies, as well as trophies.”

Leah stepped into the room.  “The closing ceremonies are a pizza party, by the way.  I just got done arranging the delivery, Dad.”

“Excellent, Leah.  We will be selecting your teams now, if that’s alright with everyone.”  When no one said anything to the contrary, he produced a tophat from nowhere and started to rummage through it.

As he did this, Veracity moved for the table, and blindly bumped into him.  “Oh, sorry, sir.”

“No, it’s perfectly alright.”  He pulled the first two slips of paper out and read them.  “The first team is...Amber and Kismet.”

Amber and Kismet looked at each other.  Kismet sighed, and Amber broke eye contact.

“The second team is...Janice and Cassie.”

Gemini pouted.

“Alright!”  Janice turned to Cassie and offered a high five.  “Research buddies!”

Cassie accepted.

“The third team will be, Veracity and Avril.”

Veracity was not surprised in the least.  Avril did not outwardly react except to frown more.

“Our fourth team will be, Destiny and Faye.”

“Uhh.”  Destiny looked over to Faye.  Faye was trying very hard to give her a friendly smile but her teeth were far too sharp at the moment for it to be anything but threatening.  “Great.”

June was starting to feel a pit of dread in her stomach.  She looked over to Kara, who was also looking at her.

“The fifth team is...Gemini and Auggie.”

“Alright!”  Auggie said with a huge grin.  “I get to be with my best friend ever in the whole wide world, Gemini!”

“I SWEAR TO GOD, LEVEY!”

“And I suppose that leaves June and Kara.”

June looked away from Kara, and Kara, who still looked a little stunned, nodded.

“Excellent.”  Ms. Kerberus said.  “We will start tomorrow morning.  Everyone rendezvous with your partner and make sure to get a lot of sleep.  Tomorrow, the Ranger Games begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to RRHood for providing the rap battle.


	14. Episode 14:  Ranger Games, Part 2

“Forgive me, my Lady.”  Shryk said in her typical monotone.  “I just do not see the reason behind not attacking the Stellar Rangers while the others are visiting.  From what I have been able to research, their abilities will not add anything particularly challenging--three of us, for instance, could still mop the floor with the entire group.”

They were in the officer’s lounge, with everyone in their usual place, including Lady Lanessa lounging in the back.  Lanessa gave Shryk a patronizing laugh, which made Shryk twitch inside her shell.

“Oh, I do enjoy your hubris, Shryk.  No.  We don’t want to attack them, because, if we do, they will stay.  And we don’t want that.”  Lanessa smiled to herself.  “They’re extra pieces on a crowded board.  I don’t want them to complicate things.  This is a gentle time.  The Stellar Rangers suspect my true nature, as planned.  The time for you to act will come, in time.”

“My Lady--”

“The matter is over, Shryk.”  Lanessa stared directly at her.  “You would do well to drop it as you are told.”

“...Yes, my Lady.”

“Excellent.”  Lanessa stood up.  “Now, I know, for killers such as you, this must seem awfully dull.  However, this is my plan, and it is also my primary plan.  I would very much prefer it succeeded.  My other plans are a bit...unstable, shall we say?  And potentially untenable.”  She turned towards the door and strode across the room in less time than it should have taken her.  “Do remember that you work for me, yes?  I’d hate to have to remind you.  I’ve had to remind some of your predecessors in previous times.”  She glanced over at Layon.  “Especially yours.  Many seemed to think that, as Supreme General, they could break from my leash.  They are all dead now, and not because of your faster expiration date.”  With that, Lanessa stepped up to the door, and vanished.

Layon slammed her fist down at--and through--the bar.

Shryk floated over to her and gently nudged her.  Layon put her hand on top of the egg and rubbed it.  “Someday, my General, death will free us.”

Layon nodded.  “Yes, my Shryk.  Someday.”

 

*****

 

“Okay, Faye-Faye.”  Janice said, standing in front of Faye.  They were in June and Avril’s room.  June and Auggie were sitting on the bottom bunk, which happened to be June’s, while Avril reclined with a book on the top bunk.  “Let’s try this again.”

Faye took a deep breath and nodded.  “Okay!  I’ll get it, this time.”

“You will!  I have faith in you, Faye-Faye!”  Auggie said.  “And then we can sleep because it’s like 2 AM.”

“Alright.  Hi, Faye!  My name’s Destiny!  I’m your partner, and I kissed June and--”

Faye started to growl.

Janice sighed.  “No, see, you’re doing it again.”

Faye’s eyes widened and she clamped her hand over her mouth.  “Oh no!  I’m so sorry, it just automatically happens!”

Janice gave her a tired smile.  “It’s okay.  You’re getting better!  Very, very gradually, but still.”

“How d’you think she’s gonna act, Jan?”  Auggie asked.

“She’s going to be cautious.  When nothing bad happens, maybe hit on her.”

Faye blushed and looked startled.  “What???  Nooooo, I can’t be growly while I’m being hit on!”

“Well, maybe that’s a good thing.”  Janice sit in a chair near the door.

“No, I mean, that’ll be weird, right?  It’ll make me feel weird.”

“Weird good or weird bad?”  Auggie asked.

“Bad!  Probably!  Maybe good and that would be even weirder!”

“Okay, okay.”  June said.  “Let’s get away from this.  Faye, you’re going to do fine.  All you need to do is get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be calm in the morning.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.”  June smiled weakly.  “Totally.”

“What about you, Junie?”  Janice asked.  “How’re you doing with the prospect of the Kara team-up?”

June flopped back on her bed and groaned.  “I don’t know?  Weird?  She saved my life and for some reason we both feel really awkward about it?  I don’t even know what that’s about.”

“Yeah, I feel you.”  Auggie bounced slightly on the bed.

“Don’t do that.”  Avril said from above.   
“Oh, sorry!  But yeah, false enthusiasm aside?  I am...not really looking forward to being Gemini’s partner.”  Auggie flopped next to June.  “I’ve been trying to keep her off her game but she and Cassie did spend like, fourth and fifth grade terrorizing me into being their friend.”

“What, really?”  Janice asked.

Auggie nodded.  “Yeah, and I was, like, super pathetic about it?  I just followed them around and let them mistreat me. It got slightly better in sixth grade but that was only because Cassie and Gemini were having their falling out.  They were just so pretty and cool and sang so nice.  And they treated me like crap.  Cassie’s said she’s sorry, and I believe her, because she’s shown it and she’s still my best friend, but....Gemini’s never even acknowledged any of the stuff she did was bad.  Like almost killing Senine, or trying to kill Mr. Vember.”

Janice’s eyes went wide.  “Wow, I knew she did some bad stuff, but...”

June sat up.  “The first time I met her, she re-opened Senine’s wound and basically bragged about it.  And then hit on me.”

“...Huh.”  Janice slumped in the chair.  “She’s never told me it was THAT bad.  Why isn’t she like that, now?”

“No clue.”  Auggie shrugged.  “She’s been getting a little better as she’s been allowed out more.  I mean,  I won’t really trust her until she apologizes.  Not completely.”  She sat up and smiled at Janice.  “Honestly, Jan, you’re pretty lucky.  You have one of your buddies as your partner.”

“Yeah!”  Janice slumped in the chair.  “Lucky, I guess?  I don’t know, Cassie’s great, but...I kind of wish I’d gotten one of my bandmates?  Old bandmates.  I miss them, even though the sorta chaos they caused is pretty standard for them.”

“So, no one’s satisfied with their team.”  June sighed.  “Great.”

“I think this is just as planned.”  Avril said from the top bunk.

Faye looked up at her.  “What do you mean?”

Auggie craned her neck up but could not see Avril.  “You think Mr. Vember rigged it?”

Avril shook her head.  “No, I’m positive Veracity did.”

“...I am losing my touch.”  Janice sighed.  “You’re absolutely right.  She has this ability where she can change a random outcome to either the most or least desirable outcome.”

Avril nodded.  “She insisted we go to the library before the results were read.  After she told Senine that they are going to date someday.”

“What?!”  June asked with a start.  She then looked at Faye, who looked slightly hurt, and said, “I mean, that but in a less shocked way.”

“That’s what she said.”  Avril put down her book and stared at the ceiling.  “Who knows how true it is, or why she wanted these particular teams.”

Faye walked over to June and took her hand.  June gave her a guilty look, and Faye tried her hardest to smile.

“I’m not going to leave you.”  June said, and squeezed her hand.  “Really.”

“I..I know that!  Of course.”  Faye’s voice wavered as she spoke.  “You wouldn’t do that, y-you’re a good person.”

“I won’t.”  

Faye nodded, and pulled away.  “R-right.  I should sleep.  We need to sleep.  I’m...”  She then turned and walked to the door.  “G-goodnight.”

Auggie sighed when Faye left, and waited a few moment before saying, “Oh, she’s definitely going to bite Destiny, tomorrow.”

 

*****

 

“She’s going to eat me.”  Destiny said as she paced through the room she was sharing with Kismet.  Kara was also here, sitting in the corner of the top bunk, still looking at her arm.

“Yep.”  Kismet answered.  She had her bass in her lap and was iddly tuning it.

“I’m serious!  She’s going to rip my ribcage open and eat my heart right out of my chest!”

“Yep.”

“Kismet!”

“I’m serious.”  Kismet tapped her chin for a moment.  “I wonder, when we audition a new guitarist, if we should try to find one who looks like you, so I can pretend I still have a twin.”

“She’s going to kill me and you’re making jokes.”

“Dezzy, relax.  She’s not gonna try to kill you.  Ms. Kerberus and Mr. Vember are gonna be watching and do you think they’d let that happen?  Plus, if she just ate people they wouldn’t let her on the team.”

Destiny sat down next to her twin.  “Yeah.  I guess so.  Hey, maybe I can even sweet talk her a bit?”

“There’s my Dezzy!  Go get it, girl.  Who knows, maybe she’ll get flustered if you hit on her while she’s growling?”

Destiny smiled.  “Yeah, maybe. What about you, Kara, how’re you feeling about getting on June’s team?”

Kara looked up.  “Huh?”

“Is everything alright?”  Kismet turned around in the bed to look at her.

“Yeah, you’ve been quiet since you saved June.”

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, whatever, I’m fine.”

Kismet and Destiny looked at each other, and then back at her.  Destiny said, “You know that’s not gonna work on us, right?”

“Yeah, Kara, we’ve known you forever.”

“I’m fine.  I need some air, or something.”  She stood up and walked out of the room.

Kismet glanced over at her sister.  “Should we follow?”

“Maybe?  Maybe she just needs some time.”

“Yeah.  You’d think she’d be ridin’ a bigger high, after saving June’s life.”

Destiny nodded.  “Right?  I mean, she was partly acting nice for me, but...She’s been weird, ever since we were here last year.”

Kismet frowned.  “Ugh.  I knew this place was gonna be trouble.”

 

*****

 

“We have to trade.”

Cassie glared up at her twin.  Her hands were on Senine’s chest, and sparks of green energy were slowly draining into Senine.  “This is not a good time, Gemini.”

“We have to trade!  Make Vember make us trade.  You can be on my team!  Or Levey’s team!”  Cassie was pacing around Senine’s bed.  “Maybe you can convince him to let Octy join and you can just be with your boyfriend.”

“Pass.”  Octy said from a nearby bed.  “I’ve been promised the position of announcer, alongside Julius and Leah, and I would hate to miss a chance like that.”

“I don’t want to be on Levey’s team!”  Gemini walked up to Cassie and pulled on her shirt.  “Please?  Change teams for your sister?”

“Oh my god, Cassie.”  Senine grinned.  “You didn’t tell me you were bringing your whiny sister as a present, that’s so thoughtful.”

“Don’t talk.”  Cassie said to Senine.  “I’m working on your ribs and your chest is moving too much.”  She turned her head to Gemini.  “And the answer is no.  I can’t, for one.  I very much doubt that Ms. Kerberus will allow us to change.”

“I don’t want to be her teammate!  She’s just going to do that annoying best friend thing.  I wanted to be on your team or Janice’s team or maybe June’s.”  Gemini tugged on Cassie’s shirt again.  “Maybe even Amber or Avril!  Anyone but Auggie.”

“What’s the matter, Worse Schumacher, feeling guilty?”  Senine smirked at her.  Gemini glared down at her.

“Gemini.  Please.  I am doing healing right now.” Cassie tugged her shirt out of Gemini’s hands.  “I cannot change teams and you are acting childish.”

“I am not!  You just want to spite me!”

“No.  I don’t.  I love you, you know that.”

“No, you hate me!  You always side with everyone but me!”  Gemini turned around and stormed out of the infirmary.  Cassie sighed as she went.

“Gemini!  Oh, what’s the use.”  Cassie’s hands glowed brighter.  “I’ll simply have to find her brooding on the roof, later.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, beloved.”

“Yeah.”  Senine said.  “She’s used to being awful but not really used to--ow!”

“Don’t talk.  I told you, you’re moving too much.”  Cassie sighed, and looked over her shoulder, at Octavian.  “Was I too hard on her?”

“I am, perhaps, not the most biased person as to how hard you are on her, as your boyfriend and also the brother of Auggie.”

Cassie frowned, and removed her hands.  “I’ve healed as much as I can, today.  Your star has, unfortunately, started eating the healing far more quickly than usual.”

“Yeah, sorry, Green Thumb, but I haven’t been conscious enough to burn off energy.  It’s sort of raging in me.”

“Work on that for tomorrow.  Those are medic’s orders.”  Cassie stood up and stretched.  “Alright, I suppose I should apologize to Gemini--but not acquiesce.  Octavian, could you make sure that Senine does not hurt herself more before going to sleep?  I know she’s been walking around.”

Senine stuck her tongue out at her.

“Of course, my beloved.  She will have my watchful eye, until I fall asleep here as is fairly likely.”

Cassie smiled at him, waved, and left to look for her sister.

 

Cassie stepped onto the roof, and was surprised to see, rather than her sister, Kara.  She was sitting with her back to the half-wall along the edge of the tower, and was crying silently.

“Oh.  I’m sorry.”  Cassie began.  Kara’s eyes snapped to her, and she pulled herself closer to a corner, where she could be more in shadow.  However, her shimmering rainbow hair prevented that from being very effective.  “I did not mean to interrupt.  Have you seen my sister?”

Kara nodded.  “She saw me, up here.”  She kept her swelling emotions down, for the moment.  “Then she left.  Probably to her room.”

“Are you...”  Cassie let the door shut behind her and approached Kara.  “Forgive me, but are you okay?  Can I help?”

“No.  I don’t think so.”  She let out a bitter laugh.  “Wow, I must look like a mess.  Here I am, famous singer girl, and I’m crying on a roof.”

Cassie came a little closer and knelt down.  “Everyone cries, and the roof is rather popular for being sad, around here.  Are you cold?”

Kara nodded.  Cassie held out her hand.  “May I?’

Kara shrugged, and Cassie touched her by the shoulder.  Kara immediately felt warmer.  “What’d you do?”

“I increased your body heat, and also increased how hot your body thinks it feels to compensate.  You’ll be fine up here for at least a little while longer.”  Cassie smiled.  “I can listen, if you like, or if you need someone to just sit with you, I can do that as well.”

“I...”  Kara looked down again.

“You know, I’ve always loved your voice.  I was so excited, when my boyfriend got all of us a ticket to your show.”  Cassie sat down more comfortably, now.  She looked happy and wistful.  “And, despite the Hollow Heart attack, I still look back fondly on that show.  You were amazing, as usual.”

“I was flat, that night.  The others had to compensate for me.”

“I’m a trained singer, and I did not notice.  I doubt anyone else did, either.”

Kara kept looking down at the ground.  “I saved June, today.  I jumped in front of her and that plasma could have killed me, too.”

“Yes, but--”

“And I sort of wish it had.”

Cassie stared at her in confusion, sympathy, and fear.  “W...what?”

Kara lowered her head farther.  “See?  I’m pathetic.  I’m successful and I’m a hero and I want to die.”

“Why?  Why would you ever want to die?”

“Because...because June, June deals with stuff like this all the time.  June almost dies all the time and I just...I just...”  She was breathing harder, and crying harder.  Cassie patted her on the shoulder and she calmed down.  “I hated her and I was so jealous of her and this is what I was jealous of?  People who just kill you for saying the wrong thing?”  She pulled her knees close to her chest.  “I’m pathetic because I’m still kind of jealous of her for being more important than me.  She has this big epic battle against evil and I’m...singing songs and fighting alien real estate scams.  I’m not even second best.  I’m nothing.”

“You are not nothing.”

“I am, though.  The only thing I’ve ever really had is that I was good at this.”  Kara was crying, again.  “Sometimes, the Penumbra goes to someone else, for a while, and leaves Nemesis alone for a generation.  That’s what they say, anyway.  When I thought it was me...I was so happy.  But I’m not good enough for it.  I’m not good enough for anything.  Even my best friend left me for June.”

“You have not lost anything.”  Cassie put a hand on Kara’s shoulder.  “Janice is still here.  She would love to talk to you more.”

Kara shrugged.  “She hasn’t.  Everyone thinks I’m a bitch.  No one likes me if I can’t get them make-outs.”

“I am sure that’s not true.”

Kara shook her head.  “I’m not perfect, I’m not saving the world, I’m not doing anything.  No one would care if I died tomorrow except a bunch of dumb teenagers who’ll get over it in a week.”

“No one’s perfect.”

“I should be.  I’m worthless if I’m not perfect.”

“Am I worthless for not being perfect?”

“No.”  Kara rested her head on her knees.  “Just me.  You wouldn’t understand.”

Cassie sighed.  “I’d show you my tattoo but I don’t know you nearly well enough, yet.  It’s not very good, as my sister put it on me, just as I put one on her.”

Kara raised her head to stare at her.  “You do not have a tattoo.  You’re messing with me.”

“No, we both do.  I used to be...A completely awful person, honestly.  In truth, I was following my sister’s lead, because she seemed so sure and calm--which, now, I know is a lie on two fronts.  So I did terrible things to people.  Not as bad as she did, but I came fairly close.”

“But...you’re so nice.”

“I’m glad you think so, but I cannot see it.”  Cassie shrugged.  “I second guess everything I say and do that could have even the slightest amount of altruism behind it as a cover, or as tricking the person.  However, I do not let it stop my efforts.”

“...What’s that have to do with me?”

Cassie stood up and started for the door.  “I suppose, you can make improvements, no matter how bad you think you are, and even if you think you’re making no progress, you may be.  I’ll leave you for the moment, I do still have to find my sister.”

“Yeah.”  Kara looked back down.  “See you tomorrow.  And, um, thanks.”

Cassie smiled at her.  “My pleasure.  You know, I think you still might be my favorite singer.”

Kara actually smiled slightly as Cassie disappeared, back into the Tower.

 

*****

 

At around six in the morning, with just about three hours of sleep to her name, June Hespia was awoken by a light shaking.  She groaned and opened her eyes, and saw Faye standing over her.

“What if I eat her?”

June checked her phone, and then slumped back against bed.  “You aren’t going to eat her.”

“But...but what if I lose control!?  And eat her?”

“Faye.”  Came Avril’s voice from the top bunk.  “It’s early.  Go back to sleep.”

“But...”  She looked up at the top bunk, and then down to June.

“Faye...you’ve never eaten anyone before, right?”  June gave Faye a tired smile.  “So you probably won’t start now.”

June saw Faye’s expression slowly fade from anxiety to sheepish guilt.  “I, uh...”

“You ate someone?!”

Avril sat up in bed at that, and looked over the edge.  She did not say anything, but she was staring at Faye in obvious disbelief.

“It...!  This was...!”  Faye looked down at her feet.  “Before I had control.  One of those newt guys, that Stellos made try to hurt people.  One of them went after me, and I...just animaled out, I guess.  And I ate him.  Uh.  All of him.”

June and Avril both stared at her.  Faye shifted uncomfortably.

June shook off her shock and stood up, taking Faye’s hand.  “Hey.  Like you said, it’s been a long time, right?  You didn’t have any training at all.”

“...No.”  Faye gave a small smile.  “I guess I didn’t?  And I didn’t eat her yesterday.”

Avril was still staring, amazed by the idea that such a small person could devour an entire person.

“Yeah!  You didn’t eat her yesterday.  I don’t think she’s going to deliberately provoke you into eating her, tomorrow, either.”  June hugged her, and then took both of her hands.  “You’ll be fine.  I believe in your ability to not eat Destiny.”

“Okay.  I’ll let you get back to sleep!  Sorry, Junie and Avril!”

“It’s okay.”  June’s cheeks become a faint shade of pink.  “I like helping you.”

Avril mumbled something noncommittal, rolled over to go back to sleep.  Faye hugged June tightly and left the room.

June watched her go, and then laid down in bed.  She stared at the ceiling of her bed for several minutes.

Avril called down from above, “I can’t stop thinking about Faye eating someone.”

“Oh, God, you, too?”

 

*****

 

Advisor Grim stood in the empty room in Prince Halloway’s ship, slithering a pace around the room.  He continually glanced over at the only door in the room, never spending more than a minute or two with his gaze off of it.

It was a surprise, then, when Layon appeared on the other side of it.  He jumped, and slithered back a little, before relaxing.  “You came.”

“Yes.”  Layon said, arms crossed over her chest.  “And no, I won’t tell you anything.”

“If my prinssssse is in danger--”

“Again, your Prince is in more danger if he knows.  If you know, you will die.  If the Prince knows, the result will be worse.”  Layon’s words were terse.  “There’s nothing that can be done now.  The vultures are circling and there is not a single watering hole in sight.  The best one can hope for is that the delirium accompanying the thirst will be pleasant.”

“I don’t want to play gamessss, Layon.”  Grim slithered forward.  “I need to know what shhhhe isssss doing to him.”

Layon paused.  She turned towards the door.

“Pleasssse.”  Grim slithered closer.  “He isss...like a sssson to me.  I have raissssed him.  I have ssstayed with him when no one elssse would, ssssave that harpy.  If he musssst die, maybe I can assssssure he diesssss with dignity rather than whatever hell shhhhhe hasssss planned for him.”

“I should not.  But...”  She looked over her shoulder.  “I do not think it will matter.  I cannot tell you.  But I will consider arranging the situation such that you can hear for yourself and draw your own conclusions.”

“But, why--”

“Because I owe her my life.  We all do.  That is as literal as it possibly can be.”  She walked to the door, and she looked back as it opened for her.  “It may take some time.  In that time, you can think whether this will be worth the price.”

“The Prinsssse doessss not have time!”

Layon sighed.  She shook her head.  “The Prince, I imagine, has exactly as much time as my Lady needs him to have.”

 

*****

 

All of the girls were standing outside the arena, grouped in their teams.  Cassie was looking at Gemini, and Gemini was pointedly ignoring Cassie.  Every girl--except for Veracity, looked very tired, and slightly miserable.

Veracity had a pleasant smile, and had woken up in time to put her makeup on.  June was not entirely sure how she managed to do that when blind, but either her power had helped her, or if she just had a lot of practiced, but she had managed very well in either case.

Mr. Vember and Ms. Kerberus stood in front of them.  Ms. Kerberus regarded them all and then began.  “Welcome to the Ranger Games, girls.  Your first task is going to be the Labyrinth.  Each team will start at a different entrance.  Your goal will be to reach the center and touch the Ranger Emblem Statue in the center.  The first team to reach it will be awarded five points, the second four points, and so on, with the sixth team receiving zero points.  Now, here are the rules--one, you are not to use powers to circumnavigate the maze, either by foreseeing it, bypassing the walls, or going over them.  And, to keep things fair, no use of the Penumbra, Ms. Hespia.”

“In addition,”  Mr. Vember said, “There are three illusory monsters in the Labyrinth.  Each one is very, very strong, and possesses powers designed to be challenging to any given group.  They will be wandering along a set path, unless they happen to detect one of you.  Any direct hit from a monster will send that teammate into a penalty box, where they must wait for thirty seconds before they are placed at a point earlier in the maze.”

“Wait.”  Gemini interrupted.  “So, if Levey’s dead weight, like she’s going to be, I have to backtrack when she screws up?’

“Aw, that’s not a very nice thing to say, best friend!”

“SHUT IT.”

Mr. Vember nodded.  “Yes, Ms. Schumacher, that is correct, though I doubt very much that Ms. Levey is going to be anything but a productive teammate.”

Ms. Kerberus seemed to notice Gemini for the first time.  “Novias, isn’t she supposed to be in holding?”

“I’m on probation, bitch!”

Mr. Vember sighed.  “Gemini, do not address Ms. Kerberus in that way.  And yes, Natalie, she is out for good behavior.  We can discuss it later.  At any rate, the monsters are obstacles, yes, and they will actively be searching for you, yes, but they are  _ not _ necessary to be defeated in order to win.  All of you must be able to decide on your own whether it is worth defeating the enemy or simply bypassing it.  Any questions, before we begin?”

Faye lifted her hand, and Mr. Vember nodded to her.  “Yes, Ms. Burrey?”

“Can we have team names?  I think a lot of us are iffy on the teams and maybe they’ll make us feel better about them!”

Destiny looked at Faye and got a slow smile. 

Ms. Kerberus started to shake her head, but Mr. Vember immediately intervened.  “Absolutely.  I think our announcers would especially like that, in fact.  You can each have a few moments to choose your names.”

June turned to Kara.  “Do you have any ideas?”

Kara glanced past June, and saw every group was now talked about names, with varying degrees of animated speech.  She looked at June.  “Uh.  I don’t know!  Team...Bright Light?”

“Bright light hurts my eyes.  Um.  Team Shadow Casters?”

“We’re not wizards.  Um.  Um.  Team...”

June huffed out a breath and thought.  “Nothing’s coming to me.”

“Well, try harder!  Everyone else is getting theirs!”

“I am trying!  Team...um...”

Mr. Vember cleared his throat.  “Girls?  Do you have your names, yet?”

“Yes!”  June and Kara said in sync, along with everyone else’s din of affirmation.  June and Kara then shared a wide-eyed, panicked look.

“We’re team Cool Cat!”  Faye said.  Destiny nodded.  “Hell yeah we are!”

“We’re team Best Friends!”  Auggie said with a grin.  Gemini gave a defeated sigh.

Cassie cleared her throat.  “Introducing Schumacher and Aerie.”

“Battle Buddies.”  Janice finished.

“Team Rising Tide.”  Veracity said.  Avril gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Team Muzzle Flash.”  Kismet said.  Amber was pretending like she did not really like it.

Kara and June were still talking amongst themselves.  Everyone was staring at them.  Mr. Vember cleared his throat.

Kara and June jumped and turned around.  June began, “We’re team.  Um.  Team...”

“Team Depression!”  Kara blurted out.  June looked back at her, and Kara immediately looked apologetic.

“Are you...sure?”  Mr. Vember asked.

“What the heck, Kara?”  June said in a hurried whisper.

“I don’t know!  I was trying to think about what we had in common and that’s all I thought of that wasn’t light magic!”

“...Okay.”  June looked to Mr. Vember and nodded.  “Yeah, we’re sure.”

“Very good, then.  We can begin.”  Ms. Kerberus gave Mr. Vember a half-glare.  “You will enter the training room, and immediately be led to your respective entrance.  It has already been given the desired dimensions and configurations.”

The other girls filed into the room.  June and Kara shared another look, and then followed them inside.

 

The training room looked completely different, especially from the announcer box that now sat above it.  Julius, Leah, and Octavian sat at a table overlooking the maze, with Senine next to the table in a wheelchair.

Julius made an impressed whistle.  “You know, this magic stuff is still pretty weird.  I think this room’s bigger than the whole Tower.”

“It’s not technically any bigger.”  Leah said.  “Dad’s sort of...tricked the space in the room into thinking there’s more to it.  Everything’s an illusion.  Rooms like this are pretty standard for Stellar Ranger bases--the Tower’s actually pretty standard as far as those things go.”

“How much magic does it take?”

“A lot.  There are people who specifically make stuff for the Stellar Rangers, like bases and badges.  They’re hard to replace--this one’s been here since Solar City was founded.”

Senine rolled her eyes.  “Oh my God, is this what your guys’ dates are like?”

“Sometimes, yes.”  Leah said, giving her adopted sister a half-serious glare.  “Not everyone’s spent most of their life around magic, you know.  Some people are still really impressed by it.”

Senine made a big show of yawning.

“I’ve never really announced a maze run, before.”  Julius looked out, over the high, off-white walls of the maze.  “Huh, it’s kind of...spartan, huh?”

“Yeah.  I bet this is Kerberus’s fault.”  Senine said.

“Uh...”  Julius tried to think of something to start with.

“Hello, mostly ladies but some gentlemen, to the first ever Ranger Games!”  Octavian said into his microphone.  “In this first event, our six teams will be competing to make their way into the center of the arena!  But watch out, the deadly Minotaur, Gorgon, and Hydra are searching the Labyrinth as well, and they’re quite eager to send our brave competitors into the penalty box!  Let’s have a fun event, ladies!  Ready?  In three, two, one, go!”

 

“Honestly, Levey, you could’ve just stayed behind.”  Gemini said as she took the first bend of the maze.  “I can do this with my eyes closed!”

“Aw, but you’d get lonely without your bestest friend ever!”

“Ugh, stop it with that!  No one’s even around to watch me freak out.”  Gemini turned another corner, hoping to outpace Auggie, but, of course, Auggie had no trouble keeping up.

“Sorry, bestest friend!  I’ll try not to get in your way!”

“Enough!”  Gemini turned and snapped.  “Enough, I get it, you hate me, okay?  I understand.  Stop rubbing it in my face.”

Auggie winced, and then said, in a stuttering voice, “S-sorry, Gemini.  I j-just...”

“You what?  Wanted me to feel as pathetic as we made you feel?!  I do, okay?  You win, I’m an awful person.  Just let me win this already and stay out of my way.”

Auggie watched Gemini walk a few more feet forward and then sighed.  “I don’t hate you, Gemini.  Hating you’s never been the problem.”

Gemini rolled her eyes.  “Yeah, whatever.”

“I’m serious!”  Auggie zipped in front of Gemini.  “I always thought you and Cassie were just the coolest.  Even when you were awful to me, I still loved you guys.  That never changed, I just learned to not let you guys treat me like trash, anymore.”

Gemini did not say anything--she could not say anything.  She could only stare at Auggie.

“And that’s what made it so hard!  I wanted to hate you.  I spent so much time wanting to hate you.  But I don’t.  I never did.”  Auggie turned and started to walk further into the maze.  “Come on, I don’t want to leave you behind.”

Gemini started to say something, and then felt a chill run through her.  “Oh, fuck.”

Auggie turned to her.  “Okay, my truth bombs weren’t THAT hard.  They were a “damn” at best, and even that’s a stretch.”

“No, I think...you might need to leave me behind, after all.”  Gemini grimaced.  “I’m being called.”

“Soooo, ignore the call?  I don’t need that trophy but I really don’t want to be last.”

“It’s...grim reaper stuff.  I can’t.  I’m--”  And as she said that, the light in Gemini’s eyes went out, and she collapsed against the wall.  Auggie caught her before she could fall.

“I hope that Cassie’s having a better time than this.”  Auggie said, and then sighed and started to pull her down the way.  

 

“Do you think Veracity did this because she wanted to spite me?”

Cassie sighed and looked back at Janice as they traversed the maze.  “I’m not certain.  Left or right?”

“Uh, left.  I just...don’t get me wrong, Cassie, you’re great, but...I mean, maybe it’s for the best, you know?  They all hate me for leaving the band.”

“I’m certain they don’t hate you.  I think, left, again.”

“Oh, right.  No, I mean, um, correct.  I just can’t....”  Janice slumped against a wall.  “The first thing I did with them was go to another room and try to figure out what they were up to, and then I just yelled and accused them of things.”

“Janice.”  Cassie turned to her.  “I appreciate your problems, I truly do.  But Gemini and Auggie are on a team, and I refuse--absolutely refuse--to have to endure the smugness and gloating from that pair if they beat us.  I will listen to you extensively when we are done, but I would love it if we concentrated, for the moment, on the maze.”

“You’re right.”  Janice moved to Cassie and put a hand on her shoulder.  “Let’s do this, battle buddy.”

Cassie smiled at her, and then took another turn into the maze.  Janice followed.

“Just, real quick, do you think they’re mad at me?”

“Janice.”

“Right, sorry.”

 

“I can’t believe I thought you were gonna eat me.”  Destiny said with a laugh as they continued down the blank walls.

“Hehe, well, I did growl at you!”  Faye said with a sheepish grin. “Sorry.  I get jealous.”

“I noticed!  I’m really, really sorry, again.  I had no idea June wasn’t single when I hit on her.”  Destiny peeked around a corner and motioned for Faye to follow her.

“I don’t smell or hear anything weird close to here.  I’m pretty sure I know where two of the monsters are, but I can’t find the third.”  Faye sniffed the air.  “Mr. Vember and Ms. Kerberus must’ve made it so that I can’t sense it as well.  And yeah, I don’t blame you for trying to kiss Junie!  She’s really, really cool and pretty.”

“She is!  And just let me know if you smell or hear anything.”  Destiny  nudged Faye.  “You know, if I’d known, I would’ve asked you first.”

Faye blinked.  “Asked me first?”

“Sure!  If you guys were open to having another girlfriend.”

“But...wait.  That’s....”  The gears in Faye’s head turned, but did not seem to get any traction.  “Gosh, that’s a lot of girlfriends!  I never even thought I’ve had one!  Do people have multiple girlfriends, sometimes?”

“Sometimes!  And we’re young, you know?  Girlfriend doesn’t mean much at this age, really.  You guys just seem cool!  And like it’d be nice to kiss you and hug you sometimes.”

“I.  Uh.  Gosh.”  Faye still seemed to be having trouble with the concept.  “I.  Uh.  Can’t really comprehend that?  I...think I’d get really jealous, maybe?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you get so jealous?”

Faye, again, was very confused.  “Isn’t that what you do?”

“Well, humor me!  What’s it feel like, when you’re jealous?”

“Uhhhh, well, I guess I’m afraid?”

“Afraid of wh--”

Faye clamped her hand over Destiny’s mouth, and then held a finger to her lips.  From very nearby, only a few walls away, something big was moving.

 

“I don’t understand why you did this.”  Avril said as she followed Veracity.  Veracity was in front of her, her cane tapping against the ground and walls of the maze.

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“The others, I understand.  Either you want to force them to learn more about each other and work better as a team, or you’re a troll.”

“One of those, surely.”

Avril glared at her, which she knew Veracity could not see and yet, knew Veracity realized.  “However, I’m not sure why you decided we should be on a team, together.”

“You have a crush on Senine.”

“I...I’m sorry?”

“You have a crush on Senine.  I thought I was being rather clear.”

Avril rolled her eyes.  “I hate to break it to you, Veracity, but I have a crush on almost every girl I know.  I am extremely gay.”

“I’m aware, yes.  You also have a crush on me.”

“Yes.  You’re pretty.  I don’t understand your motivations, still.”

“Thank you.  And honestly, my motivations are mine.  You’ll have to do the heavy lifting, by the way.  The bulk of my power can’t be used until we actually find a monster.”

Avril stared at her for a moment, and then took point, her sword manifesting in her hand.  “Do you happen to know when that will be?”

“And ruin the surprise?  Never.”

 

“So.”  Kismet began, looking over at Amber.  “Guns, huh?”

“Huh?  Oh.”  Amber shrugged, and rested her rifle against her shoulder.  “Like, yeah, I guess?”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“Um.  Fine???”

“Cool, cool.”  Kismet eyed Amber as she turned around and kept going through the maze.  “Okay, so, everyone else I kinda get, y’know, why they have beefs with each other.”

Amber glanced over her shoulder.  “Like, what’s your point?”

“The only thing I know about you is that you’re kinda surly and also at least used to like the band, and you’ve barely looked at us since we got here.”  Kismet crossed her arms over her chest.  “We’re on a team for a reason, and it’s not just because we’re the last two left.  What’s your problem?”

Amber turned around, obviously frustrated.  “Look, it’s, like, not a big deal.  Let’s, like, just focus on doing this?  So we can, like, get it over with?”

“No, because you’re barely looking at me!”  Kismet made a frustrated noise.

Her shout was answered by a roar, only a few lanes away.  Amber snapped the rifle back to attention.

Kismet summoned her twin burning axes.  “Okay, so, drama later?”

“Like, obviously.”

 

“I still can’t believe we’re Team Depression.”  June said as she walked through an archway.  “Why is that the first thing that came to mind?  I didn’t even know you were depressed!”

“Yeah, well--”  Kara began.  “Well...”

“And do you feel really weird about yesterday, too?”

“...It’s not just me?”

June shook her head.  “No!  I feel weird about it, too.  Because I was really rough to you and then you saved my life--”

Kara interrupted.  “And I was really rough to  _ you _ and then I saved your life.”

“And now I’m grateful but also...really not sure how to think about you.  Especially with the...”  June paused, and winced.  “This feels really bad to say, but with you suddenly being nice to me?  It’s good but it’s weird, I don’t understand.”

“So, what?  I’m nice, and suddenly you don’t like it?”  Kara moved past June and threw her hands in the air.  “What do I need to do?”

“That’s not it!”  June walked over to Kara and started to reach for her, and then stopped.  “I just...I don’t know, okay? I just didn’t know you as anyone but someone who was jealous, and...honestly, when you talked to me, last, I really, really hated the Penumbra.”

Kara glanced back at June.  “Do you still?  Hate it, I mean.”

June shook her head.  “No.  But...it’s kind of complicated?  It’s a part of me and I accept it but I’m still...pretty scared of it.”

“Have you...”  Kara began, and then stopped to take a moment.  “Have you ever thought about...dying?  Like...hurting yourself?”

“Yeah.”  June said.  “Yeah, sometimes.”

“Do you want to know something really stupid?”

“Uh, sure.”

Kara sighed.  “I tried to jump off the tower, last night.  And it was really, really stupid, especially because I just hit my head on the safety field around the tower that’s specifically there to keep people from jumping off!  I’m glad no one saw me because that was super embarrassing.”  She sounded far more annoyed than she did sad.

“Ha!”  June laughed, and then immediately put a hand over her mouth.  “Oh my God, I’m a terrible person.”

“No, I’m laughing about it, now, too.”  Kara gave June a weak smile. “You know, that’s why I was being so nice.  I didn’t want you thinking about me like I was, when I was gone.”

“Well, I definitely think about you differently, now.”  June started down one of the paths.  “Come on, we’re team leaders, we need to win this.  Or at least, not get last place.”

“Right.  I mean, as team leader we’re clearly going to be the best at both teamwork and combat.”  Kara put on a more confident grin.  “Let’s go!”

Kara and June turned a corner, and came face to face with the Minotaur.

 

“And we are getting our first encounters with the monsters, folks!”  Octavian shouted, now with one foot up on the table.  Neither Leah nor Julius had had an opportunity to speak.  “This will truly be an epic encounter of nail-biting proportions...that my sister appears to be running away from.”

 

“Oh, screw you, too, Octy!”  Auggie shouted as she pulled Gemini along as quickly as she could.

Slithering behind her was a serpentine creature, crafted out of oily, metallic plates.  It had three heads, each of which had a gaping, fanged maw and nothing else.  Each of these maws was exuding a noxious cloud of smoke.

Gemini’s feet dragged on the floor fast enough that the backs of her shoes were starting to wear off.  Auggie swore and turned a quick corner with her, and then another, and then another.  The Hydra approached from behind, though it stopped when it reached the first intersection, taking a moment to put its long necks down each of the halls.

“C’mon, Gemini.”  She put the other girl down, against one of the walls.  “You can do it.  Just...reap and get back here, already!”

Auggie poked her in the face, and got no response.  Behind her, she thought she had heard the Hydra getting closer.

She glanced around, and happened to see Cassie and Janice turn the corner not far from them.  Auggie said, “Guys!  Guys!  Over here!”

Janie turned to Auggie and waved, and then immediately looked concerned, right at Gemini.  “Oh, no, is Gemma okay?”

“She’s on a grim reaper duty thing!  One of those monster things is right behind me!  I can’t do anything with Gemini like this, but maybe we can take it out tog--”

Before Janice could reply, Cassie rose a line of trees between the two of them.  “Oh, no, I’m not going to miss this chance to avoid you two being smug!”

“Uhhhh, sorry, Auggie!  I guess my teammate’s spoken.”

“Cassie!  We are gonna have words later!”  Auggie called to the trees.  The sudden trees, as well as the shouting, caused all three of the heads of the Hydra to turn towards Auggie and Gemini, and the monster started to slither towards her.

Auggie looked down, at Gemini, sighed, and summoned her batons.  “You’d better not do any more of that dead weight talk, when you wake up.”  She murmured, and then bolted forward.

 

Faye bolted around the corner fast enough that a few of her steps were on the wall.  There was a horrible hiss behind her, though nothing pursued.  Faye took another corner and then put her back to the wall and listened very closely.

About half a minute passed with Faye listening, and then, in a flash of blue and white, Destiny popped out of thin air in front of her.  “UGH!  That’s not fair!  Why make something where it counts against you with a solid hit if you look it in the eye!”

Faye gave her a sympathetic look.  “Sorry, Destiny.  I woulda warned you, but, I couldn’t tell where it was by scent.  It’s barely got any scent on it!  And it’s hard to hear.  I know what to listen for, now.”

“This is Ms. Kerberus’s work.  She looooves freaky puzzle monsters.”  Destiny sighed, and then summoned her icy, jagged-bladed axes.  “Where’s it, now?”

“It’s waiting where we saw it.  I think it’s just staring at where we were, waiting for us to go back.”

“Can you fight with your eyes closed?”

Faye gave Destiny a very unsure look.  “Maybe?  I haven’t really tried.”

“Great.  The only time I’ve wished Veracity was around and she wasn’t here.”

“See.”  Said Veracity as she turned a corner with Avril.  “I told you this was the right way.”

“You are not a fan of hyperbole, are you?”  Avril said.

Veracity grinned.  “Well, I did tell you I was going somewhere I would be appreciated.”

“Oh, hi!”  Faye smiled at the two of them.  “We ran into a monster, and it’s just sitting there, waiting for us to attack, again.”

“Ms. Kerberus made the Gorgon more accurate than she shoulda.  If you lock eyes with it, you have a timeout.”  Destiny grinned at Avril and Veracity.  “Wanna help us take it out?”

Avril nodded without a second thought.  Veracity quietly snickered at this, which made her give her a dirty look.

Faye quirked her head to the side.  “What’s up?”

“Oh, she said yes, in part, because she has a crush on you.”

Avril groaned and put her hand over her face.  “I no longer question why you wanted to team up with me.  It was clearly for this torment.”

“Oh, absolutely.”

Faye looked confused for a moment.  “Huh?  Oh!  Yeah, because of me punching well.  Don’t worry, Avril, I was pretty sure of that already, from your smell while we were working out!  But, sorry, I’m dating just June.”  She looked at Destiny, who gave her a smirk and a raised eyebrow.  “...And probably just June maybe.  Anyway!  Let’s fight a monster!”

 

Auggie zipped away from a bite, and jumped back from another, shooting a blast of lightning at the remaining head of the Hydra.  The creature roared in pain and rage, filling the corridor with black smoke.  Auggie started to cough, and reflexively shot back, and then around a corner with a flash of lightning.

She took a moment to catch her breath, but in that moment, the Hydra’s heads shot around after her.  She raised her batons, and then heard a loud CRACK, and saw one of the heads recoil in pain, along with the rest of the monster.

She turned and saw Amber and Kismet, standing in the hall behind her.  She grinned.  “Babe!”

“Like, don’t babe me.  I didn’t do that for you?  You’re, like, our competition?”  Amber huffed, putting her gun against her shoulder and fighting to hide her smile.  “You’re just, like, lucky we need to go this way, too?”

“Damn, girl.”  Kismet said, whistling.  “That’s harsh.”

“Oh, no.”  Auggie said, not having lost any of her cheer.  “You don’t speak Amber, yet.  She just said she was happy to see me, and that she’s glad she could keep me from getting timed out.”

Amber was blushing even harder.  “Anyway, where’s your ‘ace player’?  Did she, like, abandon you to the monster?”

“Naw.  She’s out of body, doing grim reaper things.  I’m keeping it away from her and keeping it busy until she--”  Auggie zoomed past Amber and Kismet with a thunderclap, just as the Hydra slithered around the corner.

“So, uh....”  Auggie readied her batons.  “You guys want to help me fight it?”

  
  


The Minotaur was a hulking creature with a massively broad torso and wide shoulders, but an almost comically small lower body and legs.  It was made of bands of oily metal and was crowned set of wide, sharp horns.

Kara summoned her staff, but June grabbed her and pulled her back, just as it slammed a fist down.

Kara gave her an annoyed look.  “What  _ are _ you doing??  We can beat it!”

“But we don’t have to.  We just need to get past it.”  June pointed at the path behind the lumbering beast, whose arms were as long as its body was tall and was crawling towards them.  “Stopping to fight’s just going to make us get last place.”

She glanced at the monster, and then took June’s hand.  “Right.  Don’t let go of my hand.  Can you distract it?”

“Yeah.  Don’t look at its face.”

The Minotaur raised its arm and smashed it down again, an echoing, hollow roar escaping from somewhere on its head.

June and Kara dodged to the side, and with her free hand, June shot a blast of darkness at the monster’s head, followed immediately by a flash of light.  Though it did not have eyes, it let out a groan that was both pained and metallic, and shielded its face.  Kara pulled them forward, and as she did, and image of June and Kara remained behind, still standing in front of the monster. Light bent around the two rangers, and they slipped past the beast right as it regained its “sight”.  The beast roared again, and slammed down its fist on the images, which shattered in another flash of light, causing it to groan again.

June and Kara took several twists and turns in a quick, quiet run, before coming to a stop, somewhere deeper in the maze.  June was breathing heavily, her hands on her knees.

“You are in really bad shape.”  Kara said.

June gave her a rude hand gesture.

  
  


“You know, I still think we should go back and help them.”  Janice said, glancing over her shoulder for about the fifth time since they had run into Auggie.

“It’s not as though they are in danger.”  Cassie turned a corner, and then immediately turned around and took the other corner.  “All that’s on the line in a miniscule amount of prestige and some worthless bragging rights.”

“But...”  Janice looked back again.

Cassie turned to Janice.  “I know you feel as though you abandoned your friends but this is not relevant.  This is a competition, and our goal is to win.”

Janice winced.  “I just...aren’t we a team?  Aren’t we supposed to work together?”

“This has nothing to do with your guilt about your band!”

“Well, your whole competitive thing is making you a real jerk!”  Janice snapped back.  “I’m...I’m really upset about this.  I miss my stupid jerk friends more than I thought I would, and running away when my new friends need help makes me feel even worse!”

“I...”  Cassie looked down, unable to keep Janice’s gaze.  “I am sorry, Janice.  I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

“Yeah, well.  Sorry for yelling.”  Janice put a hand on Cassie’s arm.  “We should keep moving.  You’re right, it’s not a big deal, and also, I’m not even sure I remember the way back, anymore.”

“But...if we see another group of our friends in trouble...”  Cassie looked up.  “Perhaps we can briefly pause and aid them.  Even if it is Gemini and Auggie, again.”

“Deal.  Research Buddy.”

  
  


“Okay.”  Destiny looked between the four of them.  “Everyone ready?”

Faye nodded and summoned her claws.  “I hope it works!”

“It will.”  Veracity said.  She was shuffling through her large tarot cards.  “Ms. Kerberus always goes for the traditional weaknesses.  If it worked for Perseus, it will, most likely, work for us.”

As a group, they moved around the corner.  A large, somewhat serpentine shadow was cast on the wall, the figure casting it swaying side to side on the spot.

Avril lifted her hand and waved it.  The walls and floor around the corner were suddenly covered in a thin layer of condensed water.  Destiny lifted both of her hands and brought them down, and that ice turned into a sheen of smooth, reflective ice.

Faye sprinted forward, and saw, in the reflection of the ice, the Gorgon, a tall, serpentine figure with a vaguely humanoid upper body and a head full of waving, snake-like projections.  It was made of bands of slick, oily metal.

Faye did not look at the eyes, even though it was a reflection.  Their burning light was visible, even in the ice.  She ran up to the wall and jumped at it, pushing herself off the wall and launching her behind the Gorgon.  As it tried to turn, Faye launched into its back, not even looking, and started to stab into it with her claws.

The Gorgon twisted around and raised its claws at Faye, but before it could attack, Avril darted forward and slashed it hard in the chest.  The Gorgon’s eyes scanned down, trying to catch Avril, but she was watching the beast in its reflection in the ice.  As it did this, a blast of cold hit it in the face, freezing a thick, opaque layer of ice over its eyes.

It scratched its talons at its eyes as Faye let out a loud snarl and ripped open its back.  A shriek went through the air, and the Gorgon suddenly winked out of existence, causing Faye to fall unceremoniously to the ground.

 

“And lo, the Gorgon has been slain!”  Octavian shouted.  “A masterful job by teams Rising Tide and Cool Cat!”

  
  


Auggie dodged back, firing a bolt of lightning at one of the heads of the Hydra.  “I really wish this thing would just chill for a while and let us make a plan!”

A wall of fire sprouted up between the three girls and the Hydra.  The monster roared, and poured more smoke from its maws.  Kismet stepped back and tried to make the fire higher, using obvious strain when doing so.  Amber fired her bayonet off, the chain wrapping around one of its heads.  She then pulled back as hard as she could, and the head was jerked forward.

Kismet’s fiery axes dug into the neck of the Hydra, and tore through it, severing the appendage completely.  Its two remaining heads snapped at her, but were interrupted by a pair of lightning bolts from Auggie’s studded batons.

“Nice!  That’s one head down!”  Auggie said, getting ready for another attack.

From behind the Hydra, a scythe blade swiped up, cutting one of the heads free in one smooth cut.  As the second head fell, two more heads violently sprouted from the stump.

“Oh, damnit, Gemini!”

Gemini called from the other side, “Well, how was I supposed to know it would do that?”

“It’s a hydra!”

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds stupid!”

It pointed one head towards Gemini, and two towards the others.  The smoke billowed from its mouths.

“Okay, new plan time!  Teammate-whose-name-I-forgot-but-now-I’m-thinking- it-was-Amber!”  Kismet ran over to her and put her hand on her shoulder.  “Best Friends, uh, distract them while I give Amber a pick-her-up.”

“Why was I even by a wall?!”  Gemini dodged away from a snap from the monster, and gave it a slash across the face.

“I wanted to distract it so you didn’t blame me for getting you timed out while you were dead weight!”  Auggie stepped back from a snapping set of jaws and let a bolt arc from her baton, blasting a scorched crater in its face.  Its third head lunged towards Kismet and Amber, but Auggie discharged the other baton at it, knocking it into one of the walls of the maze.

“Okay, Amber.  Sorry I forgot your name, but ready.”  Amber’s gun began to glow red with heat.  “Aim.  Fire.”

Amber fired three shots.  Her rifle bucked back in her hands with each shot.

All three necks of the Hydra now had molten holes torn through them, large enough that they almost went straight through.  The monster gurgled, shuddered, and then vanished.

 

“And an...adequate, I suppose...performance from my sister and an amazing performance from everyone else in the battle against the Hydra!”

 

“I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD, OCTY.”

 

After several twists and turns, and a few minutes of alternating stealthy movement and all-out running, as well as ample breath-catching breaks for June, Team Depression arrived at a part of the maze that seemed to open up in front of them.

They stepped out of the corridor and found themselves in a wide, open chamber with five other entrances.  In the center of it was a fully six foot tall statue of the Stellar Rangers starburst compass rose symbol, designed out of what looked to be gold.

June immediately brightened up, and glanced back at Kara.  Kara grinned at her.

“See?  We’re leaders, it’s natural we’d be the best at this.”

June smiled back, and the two of them walked towards the center of the arena.  “Yeah.”

“And you didn’t even need the Penumbra!  We weren’t even close to wanting to using it.”

“Well, that and we can’t.”  June’s smile grew a little.  “But yeah.  That’s good.”

They got about halfway there when Janice and Cassie walked out of one of the other passages.  Janice waved at them.  “Hey, guys!”

Cassie, on the other hand, looked at June and Kara, and then bolted for the statue.  Kara bolted when she saw Cassie bolt.  Cassie, boosting herself with her powers, was faster, but Kara had been closer when she had arrived.

Before either of them could arrive, bands of metal shot up from around the statue.  Cassie and Kara skidded to a halt as the Minotaur formed around it.   The monster stood and let out an echoing, hollow roar.

“That’s not fair!”  Kara shouted as she skidded to a halt.  “Ms. Kerberus is just salty we solved her stupid maze so easy.”

 

“And we are on the final stretch!  Will the Battle Buddies, containing my lovely, talented, and brilliant beloved, Cassie, beat the Minotaur first and claim the prize?  Or will Team Depression come out on top?!”

 

“And the announcer’s biased against us!”  Kara kicked the ground.

June ran up by her and, to her credit, did not get short of breath.  “Okay, it’s not time to give up on everything, yet.  We can still beat it.”

Kara looked at June, and then back at the monster.  The Minotaur was now fully formed, and turned towards Team Depression.

“Hey!”  Janice called.  “Let’s team up.  Whoever manages to win, wins.  Right, Cassie?”

Cassie gave a defeated sigh.  “Yes, I suppose.”

The Minotaur lifted a massive hand and brought it down on the spot where June and Kara just were.  June summoned her daggers and slashed the back of the hand to minimal effect, but the creature roared anyway.

Janice knelt and pressed one hand to the ground.  The floor under the creature glowed with heat, and began to churn in a simulation of lava.  The Minotaur’s comparatively small legs warped and started to melt.  It turned completely around on its waist, the back of its fist leading as it tried to smash Janice, but its fist instead hit a small cluster of trees, cracking into, but not through, them.

Kara summoned her staff and pointed it at the back of the monster.  A focused, rainbow beam fired into its back, and then penetrated through it.  June, meanwhile, began to flash with black and white fire.

The Minotaur immediately turned right to June.  It was still melting and warped, and it still had a huge hole burned through it, but it did not care as it lifted both arms in an attempt to crush June into a timeout.

Vines wrapped around the Minotaur’s arms and pulled them back.  The ground under the monster shook, in addition to burning.  Kara’s staff fired another beam, this time at the monster’s legs, and it fell backwards right as June finished charging.

A blast of black and white flame overcame the beast, and the bands of oily metal fell away, into nothing.

The statue toppled from the interior of the beast.

Cassie and Kara both shared a look.

“See?”  Came Auggie’s voice from a nearby tunnel.  “I told you I’m good at mazes.”

Cassie bolted for the statue, but she slammed right into a barrier of hard light.  Kara was holding up her hand, and looked over at a slightly dazed June.  “What are you waiting for?  Get it!”

June nodded and ran for the statue.  Janice got to her feet and started to run for it, too, but was hit by another barrier.  There was a sound like a cap of thunder, and Auggie was nearly at the statue in a moment.  Kara strained, and lifted another hard light wall that Auggie smacked right into.  “Ow, ow!”  She stumbled back, holding her nose.

June stumbled, and reached out.  She was nearly there.

A chain wrapped around one of her legs and pulled.  June stumbled, flailing out, and managed to grab one of the points of the statue on the way down.

“And our winner!  Team Depression!”

 

A few minutes later, all six teams were gathered outside the arena.  Ms. Kerberus and Mr. Vember stood in front of them.

“All of you performed well.”  Ms. Kerberus said.  “Our winner, now with five points, is Team...”  She sighed.  “Depression.  In second place is Team Muzzle Flash with four points.”

Kismet grinned and nudged Amber.  Amber smiled slightly despite herself, aware that they had mostly won because Kara had not blocked either of them but willing to accept that victory.

“In third place is Team Best Friends, with the Battle Buddies in a close fourth, with three and two points, respectively.”

Cassie did not look happy.  Both Gemini and Auggie were giving her grins, Auggie’s playful and Gemini’s smug.  Auggie was holding a bloody tissue to her nose.

“In fifth place, Team Cool Cat.”

“In our defense, Faye and I were having a serious conversation.”

Faye nodded.  “Also, I accidentally followed Auggie’s scent backwards.”

“Yeah, that too.”

Ms. Kerberus sighed again.  “And, in last was Team Rising Tide.”

Veracity was not surprised, and Avril was on her phone.

“Girls.  I would appreciate it if you took this exercise seriously.”  Ms. Kerberus was looking directly at Veracity when she said this.

Veracity could not see this, but was aware of it nonetheless.  “Oh, I am.”

Avril was still on her phone.

Mr. Vember cleared his throat.  “Ms. Acosta-Garza.”

Avril looked up.  “Oh.  Sorry, Mr. Vember.  My girlfriend is worried about me, since I haven’t been at school.  I was making sure she wouldn’t worry.”

Both of the March twins went, “Awww!” at the same time, and then looked at each other and said, “Jynx!”

“Well, girlfriends aside.”  Ms. Kerberus looked over the assembled Junior Rangers.  “You’ve all done well, especially with handling the monsters I provided.  We will have a brief break for snacks, and then continue onto the obstacle course.”

“Hey.”  Kara nudged June.  “Nice job, fellow leader.”

“Well, it just needed me to blast things and fall over right.”  June smiled.  “I’m used to both of those things.”

“Next game, let’s do even better.”

“Than first place?”

“...Yes.”

 

******

 

Lady Lanessa de Vran Sie reclined in her room, checking her phone.  She stood up and paused, briefly, to look at herself in one of the many mirrors covering the walls of her room.  She lifted her hand and, for a moment, it wasn’t covered in a long, black glove.  It was made of thick, grey smoke with a ghostly blue glow emanating from inside, ending in a talon.  Her arm was back to normal almost immediately, and she left her room and walked to the throne room.

Hal was leaning against his throne, breathing hard.  The throne, and the wall and floor near him, were glowing with heat.  He looked over at Lanessa, tears streaming from his eyes.

“It...it hurts.”  He was hyperventilating.  “I don’t know...how much more I can...stand.”

Lanessa put on her best look of concern and glided over to him.  She was not bothered by the heat as she wrapped Hal in a tight embrace.  Hal immediately began to relax as the excess, burning energy threatening to kill him drained harmlessly away, from him, into her.

“Shhh, shhh, beloved.  Here, see?  You feel much better, yes?”

Hal nodded weakly.  “Y-yes, Lanessa, thank you.  I’m not sure how you do that, but it always seems to help.”

“My star grants me, fortunately, the ability to soothe problems such as yours, remember?”  She patted him on the head, and then guided him down to rest on his throne.  “I’ll always be here to make you feel better, beloved.  Trust me when I say we will never be apart.”

He gave a shuddering breath, and a nod.  “Yes, I remember.  I’m good, now, but I’m afraid it’s just going to get worse.”

“Then I shall have to try harder.”  She kissed him on the cheek.  “Will you be alright for a few hours, do you think?”

“Yes, of course.  This was just a particularly bad episode.”  Hal relaxed as best he could.  “Do you need to leave?”

“Just for a bit.  I’ll be back before you know it.”  Lanessa pulled her hood up, and darkened the space beneath it so that only her eyes were visible.  She looked down at her phone, at the text Avril did not remember sending, telling her all about the Ranger Games.  “There’s something that’s come to my attention that I simply must see.”


	15. Episode 15:  Ranger Games, Part 3

“Cassssie.”  Auggie said, hanging on her arm.  “Come on!  It’s just a game.  Have an orange slice!”  Auggie pressed an orange slice against Cassie’s mouth.

“You always win games!”

“I haven’t won this one, yet!  I got like third place.  Orrrange sliiiiice.”

Cassie took the orange slice and grudgingly bit down into it.  “...I love oranges.”

“See!”  Auggie pulled away.  “You’re not that mad at me.”

She glared at Auggie, and then smiled.  “Ugh.  Fine.  No, I am not.  Because I can still beat you.”

“Sure you can!  Anything could happen.  You know, barring the fact that obstacle courses are basically races, and I’m the fastest person on the team.”

Cassie was back to glaring.

 

“Sooooo.”  Kismet said from her position against the wall.  “You and Auggie?  That’s pretty cool.”

Amber just nodded.  She was watching Auggie and Cassie.

“Hey.  Amber.”  Kismet poked her.

Amber batted her hand away.  “Like, what?”

“We still need to talk.”

“No, we, like, don’t?  I thought we, like, bonded?”

“You’re still acting super weird.  Is this another instance of me not speaking Amber or something?”

Amber looked down.  “Like, it’s dumb?  I just, like...Ugh.  I, like, don’t want to talk about it.”

Kismet looked at her, and then over at Auggie, who now seemed to be mediating between the Schumacher twins.  “Wow, they seem pretty close.”

“Like, yeah, that’s always been the case?”

“Oookay, look.”  Kismet stood up straight.  “You’re being really hostile, and I don’t appreciate it.  I’m going to go talk to my friends, unless you can, like, stop treating me like I’m some huge inconvenience.”

Amber immediately looked guilty.  “Like, okay, fine?  Let’s just...go talk somewhere private?  I don’t, like, want people hearing this.”

“FINally.  I was afraid you’d give me the cold shoulder this whole time.  I usually leave the cold stuff to my sister.”

Amber rolled her eyes and lead Kismet off into a corridor.  Once there, she turned towards Kismet, though she did not make eye contact.  “Okay, so, like, do you remember last year?  With the, like, Stellar Swords?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, like...”  Amber made a frustrated noise.  “They were like trying to kill us and I know like killing them was like the best option but like...like...I never, like, wanted this?  And seeing you guys killing them made me, like, realize I would be, like, killing aliens?  And, like, I have this, like, stupid gun and stupid powers and, like, if I don’t use them and, like, kill people then my friends might, like die?  And I, like, never had friends who, like, cared about me and, like, helped me even when my parents, like, kicked me out and like...like...”

Amber was crying.  Amber detested that she was crying.

“Okay, first of all, wow.  Second of all, I’m....not the best at dealing with, you know.  Emotions.”  She patted Amber awkwardly on the head.  “There there, and stuff?  Do you need me to get someone?”

“Like...no.  Everyone will, like, get even more worried?  And, like, Auggie’s busy with people she, like actually cares about.”

“Hooo boy, it’s all comin’ out, huh?”  Kismet patted her again.  “She’s your girl, right?  That means something.”

“Like...if you knew Auggie at all, like...”  Amber gave a defeated sigh.  “No one, like, means as much to her as, like, the Schumachers do.”

“This is above my pay grade.  Like, last night I told my sister she was gonna get her ass eaten.  Wow, that did NOT sound great.”

Amber gave a snort of laughter.  Kismet stood next to her.  “Listen, stuff sucks a lot, sometimes.  I mean, I’m a bassist.  Most of our fans don’t care who am I, once they realize I’m not Destiny.  I kinda wish they could see my eyes, because it’s the only part of us that’s different.”

“Pft, like, the bass is the backbone of the band?  And, like, you keep up with your sister’s solos, like, really well?”

“THANK you.”

“But, like, you’re still famous?”

Kismet shrugged.  “I’m half convinced Ms. Kerberus has some sort of spell that gives us fame, somewhere.  But, anyway, look.  Auggie’s with you, right?”

“Right.”

“And we’re in Junior High.  Even if she left, so?  There’s plenty more girls.  Or boys, if you’re into those, too.  We’ve got everything ahead of us!”

Amber looked down.  “I don’t, like, want anyone else?  I don’t, like, feel that way.  About anyone.  Auggie’s, like, it.  I don’t even, like, know why?  I used to hate her but now I like..I don’t know?  I don’t think I, like, even knew what hate was when I, like, thought that way?”

“Deeefinitely above my pay grade.  All I can say is, if she’s with you and not one of the Schumachers?  That’s gotta count for something, right?  And as far as that whole killing thing?  Yeah, I get you.  Killing sucks, but like you said, self defense.  Hopefully, you won’t have to do it too many more times, you know?”

“Yeah.”  Amber said.  “Like, hopefully.”

  
  


*****

 

June and Kara were in a different hallway, sitting by themselves and eating cheese and crackers.

“So, was that the first time?”  June asked, having a ratio of three slices of cheese to cracker ratio.

“Yeah.  Not the first time I’ve thought about it.  Definitely the last time.”  Kara sighed.  “Not only was it super embarrassing, it was also way way scarier than I had thought it would be.  So, how you ever...?”

June shook her head.  “No, not exactly.  But...when we were fighting Baron Stellos, I was ready to.  I feel like I’m ready to die in a lot of big fights.  Stellos, Puppetrix.  I feel like...if I can take out the bad guy, then even if I die, that’s okay, because my friends won’t be in danger, anymore, and no one will come looking for the Penumbra.”

“...So, what’s it do?”

June gave Kara a look.

“What?!  It’s cool, and admit it, it does cool things.”

“Well...it does do some cool things.”  June said.  “The first cool thing is, it takes the shape of the thing you’re best at?  For me, that was a guitar.”

“So, what, you play music at the bad guy and they explode.”

“Yes.”

Kara’s eyes got wide.  “That’s so cool.”

“It does things besides explode things, too.  I can make a shield around myself, and I can fly--”

“You can FLY???”  Kara said, envy obvious in her voice.

June shot her yet another look.

“I mean, that, but not as jealous.”

“Yeah.  I can fly, but only when I have the Penumbra out.  Oh!  It gives me a transformation with new hair and clothes and eyes.”  June pulled up her sleeves, revealing the stars and suns burned into her skin.  “It’s also marked me.”

“You get tattoos, too???”

“They were literally seared into my skin, Kara.”

“Sorry!”  Kara sighed.  “It just seems so cool from here?  I’ve always thought the stories of the Penumbra were really cool, and not just when people thought I had it.”

“You’ve read stories about the Penumbra?”

“Oh, tons.  Actually, it sort of makes sense, that I don’t have the Penumbra?  I’ve read a few things since then, and I think when people say things about other people having the Penumbra, they’re thinking of the weapons Nemesis charged with a bit of her power.”  Kara shrugged.  “So there was probably never a chance that I’d have it.”

“What’s the deal with those, anyway?”

“No idea!  Only one still exists, the Baton of Frost.  Which doesn’t actually control ice, it’s just from the Kingdom of Frost.”

“And...that’s the place with Nemesis as its star.”

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, they’re pretty awesome.  They have this big culture that’s all about destroying Despair wherever they find it.”

“That’s cool.”

“Right?  It’s said they killed both the Mouth and Heart of Despair, after Nemesis slew Despair herself.”

June stood up.  “We’re out of cheese.  And also, we’ll probably, you know, actually have to do the thing, soon.”

“Right.  We have to keep our streak going.”  Kara also stood.  “Hey, June, I’m not weirding you out, am I?”

“No.  Well, yes.  Sort of?  I just.  Don’t know how to deal with the Penumbra, and I really, really don’t know how to deal with people who think it’s a big deal.”  June started back towards the snack room.  “Let’s go.”

  
  


“So...do you take turns being girlfriends?”  Faye asked in her corner with Destiny, Avril, and Veracity.

“Sometimes, yeah!  I think.  I’ve mostly just read about it.  I don’t really ever have the girlfriends.”  Destiny gave Faye a sly smile.  “It’s part of being on the road, you know?  I’m never really anywhere long enough, and also, I’d want to date someone who knows magic, you know?”

Faye nodded, looking very slightly lost in thought.  “Golly, I just never thought of that, before!  I’m not sure if I could do it, but...golly.”

“It can be fun.”  Veracity said from her place, shuffling through her deck.  “Though I never stick to any relationship too long.”

“You will get along admirably with Senine, then.”  Avril said from her spot, farthest from everyone else.

“It is utterly charming that you meant that without a hint of irony.”  Veracity said.  Avril groaned.

 

Janice sat apart from everyone else, in the snack room, and sighed as she watched Gemini and Cassie get increasingly miffed at each other, while Auggie ate orange slices and watched them go.

She looked, and saw Destiny and Veracity sitting with some of her new friends, and she knew that Kara and Kismet were off with their teammates.  She pulled out her phone and thumbed through her contacts, highlighting Kara for a moment before stopping.

She tapped on Kara’s name and started to type out a message, and then hit send.

“Okay, so.  I guess I’ve been sort of avoiding saying this, but, I miss you guys?  And, I think, especially you?

“I don’t want to go back to the band but I also don’t want you guys to leave.

“You were my friends.  I feel like I betrayed you guys and I’m sorry.

“You used to be my best friend, before all that dumb fame, and before Ms. Kerberus kept hyping you up as the second coming of Nemesis

“She’s harsh.  She’s too harsh, I think, especially given how little she seems to trust us with things we need to know.

“And you haven’t even seen these, yet.  Great.”

Janice lowered her phone and put her hand over her eyes.  She lifted the phone back up, and uncovered her face, and was about to type again when she saw June and Kara enter the room.  Janice’s eyes widened as she saw Kara lift her phone and start to check it.

Kara looked up at Janice.  Janice stared back at her like a deer in headlights.

Kara raised a hand, looked like she was about to say something, or head over, but was interrupted when Ms. Kerberus and Mr. Vember entered the room, just as Kismet and Amber returned as well.

“Ah, girls, excellent.”  Mr. Vember said.  “Are you all ready to begin the Obstacle Course?’

There was a general murmur of agreement.  Kara nodded as she started to type on her phone.

Ms. Kerberus cleared her throat.  “The obstacle course, unlike the maze, consists of six lanes, separate from each other.  You are not to interfere with each other’s run through the obstacle course.”

Janice’s phone buzzed.  Mr. Kerberus shot her a dirty look but did not comment.  Janice checked the message and it was, as expected, from Kara.

“u left.  i thought u hated me.”

Kara gave Janice a hurt look.  Janice shook her head and started to type back.

“Each team will be allowed two uses of their powers--collectively--to go through the course.  Each active use after that point will result in the offending teammate getting put in penalty for ten seconds.”

There was a murmur of discontent after that.  Faye raised her hand.

“Faye, yes?”

“Well, uh, I’m really strong?  And agile.  My powers just sorta boost me without me doing anything?  And make it so I work out really, really well.  I can’t turn it off.”

“Powers that work passively are exempt, or else you would not be able to compete at all.”

“Wait.”  Kismet said.  “That’s not fair.  We don’t all have powers like that.  Unless you can guarantee there’s a part where not getting burned is an important part, that means my team’s got a disadvantage.”

“Perhaps, yes.  Overcoming such disadvantages is a part of your training.”  Ms. Kerberus said.  “Your weapons do not count as a use of your power, though using any magic through them is.”

Janice finished her message.  “No, I don’t hate you.  I just couldn’t be around you how you were acting.  Especially given how obsessed you were.  You were really mean a lot of the time.”

Kara read that and winced.  “im sorry.  i was mad.”

“The point allotment will be the same as the previous round.  In order to complete the course, both members of the team must progress through the course and touch their respective statue at the end of the course.”  Ms. Kerberus looked to each girl.  “And then, both must return to the front and cross their starting line.  Are there any more questions?”

“At who?”  Janice sent in her return text.

“me.”  Kara replied, and then wiped her eyes.  The March twins saw this, and then shared concerned looks.  “i was mad at me.  im still mad at me.  but not in that way anymore.

“i dont take it out on other people.”

Something about that statement bothered Kara.

“So, let me get this straight.”  Auggie asked.  “We both need to get through, and between the two of us, we have two uses of our powers without losing ten seconds.”

“Correct.”

Janice typed a reply.  “Do you take it out on yourself?”

Kara looked at her phone, and looked up at Janice.  She nodded.

“So, like...”  Auggie began.  “Am I the only one that thinks this kinda sucks?”

“Nope.”  Both March twins said at once.

“Oh, come on, Levey.”  Gemini nudged her.  “Afraid you can’t beat Burrey?”

“I am absolutely a hundred freakin’ percent positive I can’t beat Faye in a race where I can only use lightning speed twice, especially given you can’t use it at all.  I mean, no offense, bestest ever friend, but y’all’re super slow.  And, yeah, Destiny’s gotta get through on her own, but Faye lifts girls as a hobby!  She can just piggy-back the whole thing.”

Ms. Kerberus snorted.  “I doubt she’s  _ that _ strong.”

“Uh.”  Faye said with a sheepish grin.  “Yeah, I am!  Cause, see, I get stronger at a faster rate than most people!  I’m really athletic!  I don’t have as much magic as everyone else but no one’s a lot stronger than I am.”

“Of course, dear.”  Ms. Kerberus said.  “Trust me, I doubt it will have that large of an impact.”

“But..”

“Augusta, if you’re only here to complain, then your questions are not required.”

Mr. Vember winced and stepped up.  “Natalie, enough.  Miss Levey is correct.  In something like this, especially given the parts of the course I have, personally, set up, Faye and Ms. March have an enormous advantage.”

Ms. Kerberus sighed and rolled her eyes.  “Alright, Novias, if you insist.  We’ll allow Team Cool Cat but one use of powers before a timeout.  Is that better?”

“Alright!  Challenge mode!”  Destiny said.

“...uggggh.”  Auggie rubbed her temples.  “She is so dense.”

“Augusta.”  Ms. Kerberus said. “Enough complaints, please.”

Auggie muttered something under her breath.

Gemini nudged her.  “Don’t quit so quickly, Levey.  We’ll win, anyway.”

Janice finished her text.  “Have you hurt yourself?  Because I left?”  Her heart was pounding, and her head was already telling her it was all her fault.

Kara started to reply, but then Ms. Kerberus said, “Alright, I have been lenient, but I would appreciate it, girls, if you would put your phones away.  Any phones during the course will be punished by a timeout.”

Kara returned her phone to her purse.  She mouthed ‘later.’

“Take a few minutes to finish up your snacks, girls.”  Mr. Vember said, stepping between the girls and Ms. Kerberus.  “The course will begin shortly.”

 

******

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie floated over one of the lanes of the course.  She gave the obstacles a critical eye, and paused by each one.  As she did so, she twisted the magic in them, making each one just very slightly more challenging--not so much that the teachers would notice.  Gaps were just slightly wider, footholds were just slightly narrower, handholds were just slightly farther apart.

Each change she made was a change to every lane.  She moved methodically and carefully, staying low and keeping the color of her cloak the same as her surroundings, and stopped only long enough to twist the residual magic making up the room.

She came to the end of the course, and almost changed the magic on instinct when she paused.  A slow smile crept over her face.

“I do love the cruelties humans are willing to commit in the interests of building character.”  Lanessa mumbled.  “Oh, random?  Hmm, for the most part, the coin flip IS intriguing, but there’s one lane...”  She put her hands to the floor.  “In which I want a guaranteed heads.  Ah, there you go!  Really, I’m not sure why they would even do this without me.”

She snapped her fingers, and felt a brief strain as the defenses of the tower tried, and failed, to see if there actually was a disturbance.  Unseen by all, magically and physically, Lanessa floated up, towards the ceiling, and awaited her show.

 

*****

 

A few minutes later, all six teams were gathered at the starts of their lanes.  Unlike the maze, the obstacle course was significantly more colorful, with walls and floors of grass, vines, and stone.  Statues lined several parts of it, each in various degrees of disrepair.  Each lane was separated from the other, and each lane was identical to the others.

“Hello once again and welcome to the second round of the Ranger Games!”  Octy shouted from his spot in the announcer’s box.  “It’s time for our junior rangers to face their toughest challenge yet!  Can they make it through this trap-filled corridor in time?  Can they face all of the calamities and surprises in store for them?  Can they reach the third obstacle before Team Cool Cat clears the whole course?  Only time will tell!”

“Hey!”  Faye said to Destiny.  “We probably actually can do piggyback some of the time if you want!”

“Uh, let’s put that down as a maybe.”  Destiny smiled.  “I’m...not really sure I want it known that I needed a piggyback ride.”

June, on the other hand, was feeling much less confident.  She stared at the closed entrance to their lane.  “We’re going to lose.”

“Stop being so negative!  Of course we’re not.  We won the last round, remember?”

June side-eyed Kara.  “You know I’m not in great shape.  This is going to be a hundred percent things that need people to be in good shape.”

“We are absolutely going to win.”  Kara insisted.  “We’re going to win all of these and come in first place.”

“Why do I get the feeling there’s an ‘and prove to everyone we’re adequate’ in there somewhere?”

“Because we’re Team Depression.”

“Right.”  June sighed.  “Okay, let’s get this over with so we can get to the fight which I have a bigger chance of winning.”

 

“Alright, girls!  Are you ready?”  Octavian shouted.  “Three!  Two!  One!  Go!”

Faye rushed forward as soon as the curtain dropped.  The path quickly terminated in a high, vertical shaft, the bottom going down to a padded bucket-like area, and the top having a single, knotted rope leading to the top and the continuation of the course.  Faye leapt up grabbed the rope.  She jumped off of it to a higher point on the opposite wall, and then jumped back up, grabbing the ledge of the other side.  She pulled herself up just as Destiny grabbed the rope, and immediately turned around and, with Destiny securely holding the line, pulled her up hand over hand in rapid succession.

Destiny gave her an impressed stare as she was pulled over the edge, but she did not have much time to think about what had happened.  Faye picked her up and rushed forward.  The next part of the course looked like a flat expanse with a honeycomb pattern on the floor.  As Faye approached it, several of the tiles shot up in the form of pillars, blocking entrance up to waist height.  Faye took a sudden jump, her foot touching a rising pillar and pushing off in another jump, and then another, until she was clear of it.

The next obstacle was a set of floating, spinning platforms only a scant two feet wide, set upon a river of water pushing very strongly backwards.  Destiny extended her hand, and then the entire river froze over.  Faye did not stop running, and ended up sliding across the entire thing.

Faye did not stop moving when she reached the fourth obstacle.  It was a narrow balance beam, with heavy bags swinging over it, threatening to knock anyone going over them into the water below.  Faye sprinted full tilt over it, pausing only briefly to avoid a single bag.

The fifth obstacle was a large pit, at the bottom of which was even more water.  Over top, two ropes swung idly back and forth.  Faye leaped over the pit, grabbed a rope, and swung herself onto the other side without a pause.

Before them was the statue marking the halfway point.  Faye sprinted up towards it, when an invisible charge of magic went off.

She touched the statue, and a yellow flight flared up above it.  “Okay, now you touch it, Dezzy!”

Even though she was physically there, in Faye’s arms, Destiny was mentally somewhere very different.  She was standing on a stage with floodlights pointed directly at her.  She tried to see the audience, tried to hear and feel them, but there was nothing beyond.  There was no one beside her, in the glare of the lights.

“Faye?  Kara?”  Destiny called, turning every way she could.  There was no one there.  “Kismet?”

Faye shook her, but Destiny did not register her.  She lifted Destiny’s hand and pressed it to the statue, but no light appeared.  Destiny was thrashing in Faye’s arms, looking back and forth for something she was not finding.

“Kismet?!”  She called.  “Faye?!”

“I’m right here!  I...Oh, hold on a sec!”  Faye lifted her head and let out a howl.

The howl resonated with Destiny, and all fear--as well as the illusion--fell away from her.  Destiny also fell, literally, as Faye vanished into timeout.  She hit the ground with a thump, and gave a quick look around before she rushed forward and tapped the statue, a second, sky blue-and-white swirled light appearing over it.

In the time it had taken Team Cool Cat to get all the way through the course, the second place team, the Battle Buddies, had made it about halfway through the honeycomb floor by a mixture of twitch reflexes, careful dodging, and expert timing.

 

Ms. Kerberos stared at this, mouth agape.

Mr. Vember gave her a wry look.

“Not a word, Novias.”

“I am a bit curious, however, as to what happened to Ms. March.”  Mr. Vember frowned.   “She appeared to have some sort of panic attack.  I do hope she’s alright.”

“She’ll be fine.  It’s just the sixth obstacle.  I arranged something using a bit of your power, stored in the room. It’s a mental illusion of one of their greatest fear, chosen at random.”  Ms. Kerberus sounded rather proud of her idea.  “The one who is afraid must face their fear, and the one who was not chosen must stop from panicking and find a way to calm their compatriot so that they can touch the stone as well.”

Mr. Vember gave her a wide-eyed, horrified look.  “Natalie, that’s awful.  What if June...”

“You yourself told me how capable she, and all of them, have been.  They’ll be fine.”

“But--”

“You’ve also told me I shouldn’t underestimate them, yes?”

He glared at her, but nodded.  “Should it ever look as though they are in danger...”

“It’s the training room, that’s not possible.”

 

Meanwhile, at the sixth lane, Kara was staring down the first rope.  June was near the bottom, still, slowly trying to climb up.

“This is ridiculous!  How aren’t you in better shape!?  You fight monsters all the time!  All of your friends are in better shape than you.”

June was concentrating too much on climbing to respond.  She pulled herself a bit farther up.  While she was making definite progress, her arms were already starting to sort of feel like jelly.

“Uggggh!  We’re going to lose!  If we get last place, it’s going to be really hard to win!”

June shot her a dirty look from her place on the rope.  Kara rolled her eyes and tapped her staff against the ground.  A bunch of narrow ledges made of hard light appeared in the side of the pit, arranged in a pattern that made them suitable for stairs.  June swung over to the wall, and then started up the stairs, making much better time.

“Okay, that’s one of our two uses.”  Kara grabbed June by the arm when she made it up the wall.  “We are not getting last place!  We’re just not!”  She tugged June along as she ran towards the honeycomb floor.

“We won’t get last place.”  June struggled to keep up.  “And we don’t need to get first place.  It’s just a game.”

“No, it’s...!”

June pulled Kara back a little, and stopped.  “Kara, you’re cool no matter if you win or not.  Winning doesn’t make you more or less--”

“It doesn’t matter what you say, and if it’s true, because my brain’s gonna tell me I’m worthless because of it either way!”

June put her hands on Kara’s shoulders.  “Kara.  Listen to me.  Whatever we do, we’re going to make it, okay?  We’re going to make it.  We might not win but we’re going to do great!  And we’re going to ace the next thing.  Trust me.”

Kara looked June in the eye, and then sighed, and nodded.  “Okay.  Let’s get going.  I’ll lead you through but I might yell at you a bit.”

“Right.  Lead on.”

 

“Okay, this is gonna be easy!”  Auggie said by the honeycomb floor.  “Just let me grab you and we’ll zip across before it even starts.”

“Really?”  Gemini walked towards it.  The floor, in several places, shot up.  “Waste a use of our powers on this?”

“It’s not a waste if it’s useful!”  Auggie started to move through the honeycomb floor, taking her time to slowly move through it.  There was a definite path through the rising floor.  Gemini, on the other hand, went over the top of the raised floor, moving a bit faster but taking longer to climb.

“It’s absolutely a waste.”  Gemini was making about the same time that Auggie was, getting through the honeycomb floor.  “We don’t know what’s next, dummy.  We could need our powers there.”

“Well, unless the floor has a pulse, I think you mean my powers.”  Auggie seemed to plot something in her head, and managed to run through the rest of the way.  The floor rose as she predicted, and she made it out the other side slightly faster than Gemini had made it.

Gemini glared at her.  “I’m not dead weight.”

“No, you aren’t, because you’re in really good shape.  But just trust me, okay?  I know what I’m doing.”  She reached the floating, spinning platforms.  “Why’s it so hard for you to believe that I’m good at things?”

Gemini jogged up next to her.  She backed up and then charged and jumped onto the platform.  She proceeded across the platforms, one at a time, until she reached the end.

“Gemini!  UGH!”  Auggie shouted, and then quickly jumped across behind her.  “Just answer me, for once!”

Gemini turned around in front of the balance beam.  “Because!  I don’t know!  I used to think you were useless but now you’re competent and...and...”

“And you don’t want to admit you’re wrong.”  Auggie stood in front of her with her arms crossed.  “Like always.  Of course.”  Auggie stepped past her and put her foot up on the beam.

“No, it’s because if...”  Gemini stopped.  Auggie looked over her shoulder.

“If what?”

“I don’t.  If you.”  Gemini grumbled and put her hands over her face.  “No, I’m not doing this.”

“No, no, I wanna hear this!  Why can’t you just accept that I’m not the same incompetent girl, following you around and excusing every awful thing you did to me!  Making me buy things for you even though you’re fucking rich, letting you and Cassie shove me over and mock my hair and clothes!  Why is this so hard for you?!”

Gemini looked away, unable to keep Auggie’s eyes.  “Because.  If you’re.  Why didn’t you.”

“Why didn’t I what???”

“Redeem me.  Like what your brother did for Cassie.”

Auggie looked genuinely stunned by this, her eyes widening and her jaw dropping.  “Oh.”

“Because he was there for her and loved her and she became better but I...You never even talked to me in jail, as much as I wanted you to.  I wanted you to come and.  And find whatever good thing was in Cassie.  To make her...her betray me.”

“Oh.  Oh, Gemma.”  Auggie did not move.  She wanted to hug Gemini, and she also wanted to run away from Gemini.

“I wanted you to love me like he loves her.  And...and here you are and you’re great and with Amber.  Amber who was, who was also bad and why wasn’t I good enough for you to redeem?!”  Gemini was crying.  “Why aren’t I good enough for you?  You said you loved me, you should be with me!”

“I, oh, s-sorry, Gemini, I--”  Auggie winced, and looked down.  She took a very deep breath and regained her composure.  “This is ruining our time.  But.  If I’m being honest...I wanted to, Gemini, I really did.  I really wanted to just come to your cell and tell you I forgave you and that I was still on your side.  But...”

“But what?”

“Cassie was sorry.”  Auggie looked up at her.  “She was sorry.  And so was Amber.  You, even when you came out those couple times, you’ve never said sorry, you’ve never acted like you were sorry!  You just...just gloated.  I wanted to redeem you, yeah.  I wanted to go be the loyal dog you always wanted me to be.  But you never apologized.  So I moved on.  And...and we should move on, ‘cause I’m not gonna endure losing to Cassie.  I’m fine with Janice winning, just not Cassie.”

“But...”

Auggie looked at Gemini.  She then zipped across the balance beam in an instant.  She crossed her arms, and did not watch as Gemini came across the beam as well.

 

“Hey, Cassie?”  Janice asked, once they had reached the rope-swinging obstacle.

Cassie turned to her.  “Yes?  I think we’re making good time.  I can hear Auggie yelling behind us.”

“Hypothetically speaking, if you knew someone was, y’know, hurting themselves, what would you do?”

“Ah.”  Cassie grabbed the rope and swung across the pit, beckoning Auggie to follow her.  “You mean Kara.”

Janice gave her a startled look, and swung over after her.  “Yeah, I do.  How’d you know?”

“We can talk later, especially given that I think Octy and company can hear us, and I doubt you want to broadcast your fears like that.”  Cassie helped her off the rope.  “First, we need to win, then, I promise I’ll listen.”

“Right.”  Janice strode forward, crossing the threshold of the fear trap.  The magic sparked, and the coin was flipped, and it activated.

“Thanks, Cass.”  Janice said as she approached the statue.

“Why are you thanking me?  We’re going to lose, because of you, like we did the first round.”

Janice stopped in her tracks.  “I’m sorry?”  She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

Cassie turned around with a concerned look on her face.  “You’re a waste of space, but what’s even worse than that is how you let everyone down.”

“I....I....”  Janice started to cry in earnest.  “I don’t.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean--”

“You didn’t mean to what?”  Cassie put her arm on Janice’s shoulder, and still looked very concerned.  “Ruin this team like you ruined the band.”

Janice knew what she was hearing, and she knew what she was seeing.  She said in a low, shuddering voice, “I’m under a spell, maybe?  It’s making me hear you saying really mean things, like the worst things I’m afraid people say about me.  So just...stop talking for a second, please, and maybe hug me if you don’t mean them?”

Cassie nodded, and hugged Janice.  The spell snapped, and Janice hugged back.

“Okay!  Say something.”

“Are you okay?”

Janice smiled, and wiped away her tears.  “Perfect!  Now, let’s go get second place, Battle Buddy!”

 

June stumbled over the last of the honeycomb floor, and fell flat on her face.  “I’m dead.  It’s over.  RIP me.”

Kara helped her up.  “No you aren’t.  Come on, we have to go through the next thing.”

June looked up at the rotating platforms and gulped.

“We might not get first or even fifth place but we’re finishing this darn race.  Now get up and get ready to probably get wet.”

 

“Well, it looks like that even though the race for first was no contest, the race for second is tight!  The Battle Buddies have just touched their statue, and Team Best Friends is right behind them!  But don’t count out Team Muzzle Flash, they’re neck-and-neck with the Best Friends!”  Julius shouted from his spot next to Octavian.

Octy gave him a nod of approval.  “Excellent, Elder Hespia!  I knew you had it in you.”

“Thanks!  Unfortunately, Team Depression is last place, even behind Team Rising Tide which seems to be...taking their time?”

 

“It’s refreshing that you don’t care about this contest.”  Veracity walked across the water in the spinning platform section, with Avril next to her, concentrating on keeping the surface tension strong enough to keep them from falling through.

Avril shrugged.  “I’ve never really been competitive.”

“Like how you’re rolling over with me and Senine.”

Avril glared at her.  “Do you want me to compete with you?”

“Well, it won’t be a competition.”

Avril pulled herself up on the opposite shore and pulled Veracity up.  “I’m not sure why you’re even trying to make it a contest.  I have a girlfriend I’m very happy with.”

“The perfect girl.”  Veracity said with a very thoughtful tone.

“As much as something can be perfect, yes.”

Veracity nodded, and allowed Avril to lead her towards the swinging weights.  “What do you like so much about her?”

“Well, she’s pretty, and nice, and fun.  She’s generous and kind.”

“Oh, she sounds lovely.  Maybe I should steal her, instead.”

Avril groaned.  “Yes, you’ll be perfect for Senine, as you both enjoy tormenting me.”

“It’s because she likes you, too, you know.”  Veracity stepped onto the balance beam.  She stepped perfectly across it, pausing at the exact moments she needed to, and for the exact amount of time.

“She likes making fun of me.”

“She wouldn’t if she didn’t genuinely like you.” Veracity shrugged.  “Believe it or not, whether or not it’s fair, you’re my closest rival for her affections.”

“...”  Avril moved across the beam with expert footwork.  “She  _ is _ rather handsy with me.”

“You’ll have to wait your turn.” 

She did not say anything, but Avril’s concentration slipped as she thought of that, enough that a padded weight slammed into her, sending her tumbling into the water below.

 

Gemini and Auggie had not spoken the entire rest of the first lap of the obstacle course.  Gemini had cast her a lot of glances, which Auggie was pointedly not acknowledging.

They passed the trigger for the final obstacle.

There was a pile of corpses ahead.  Dead bodies with the souls ripped from them, laying in an uncaring heap.

Gemini gasped and covered her mouth.  “No no no no no it’s not real it’s NOT real.”

Auggie turned to her, confused.  “What is it...holy shoot, Gemma, are you okay?  I’ve never seen you this spooked since Mr. Vember disarmed you in like two seconds.”

“It’s...can’t you see them?  The...the-the bodies!  From the dogs.  They’re...they’re...”

“That...freaked you out, too?”  Auggie asked, looking Gemini in the eye.

Gemini gave her a shaky nod.

“It...I still dream about it, y’know?”  Auggie put a hand on Gemini’s arm.  “You aren’t the only one freaked out by it.”

Gemini looked down at where Auggie was touching her, she looked back up at Auggie.  The pile of corpses was gone.  Gemini had the only thing she needed to ground her.  She was tearing up.

“Come on.”  Auggie turned around and headed towards the statue.  “Let’s finish this, Best Friend!”

Gemini knew, at this exact moment, what she felt for Auggie, without any conflict or haziness or denial.  She knew for the first time, with complete crystal clarity, that she loved Augusta Levey.

 

And while this revelation was happening, a soaking wet and very dizzy June climbed up on the other side of the rotating platforms.

“I am trying very, very hard to not flip out right now.”  Kara said, and then sighed.  “Come on, get up.  We have to get you hit by a bunch of swinging weights.”

 

“I don’t like those two on a team together.”  Amber grumbled under her breath for the fifteenth time as they approached the end of the obstacle course.

“Oh my GOD, girl!”  Kismet turned to her and threw her hands in the air.  “So talk to her!  And stop grumbling to me!  I told you, I’m not.  Good.  With emotions!”

Amber rolled her eyes as the two of them crossed the invisible threshold.  “Whatever, I’m, like, not, like, talking to...”  The spark of magic hit, and Amber turned around.  “...you.”

Behind her, she saw Auggie, Cassie, and Gemini.  Both of the twins were sitting very close to her, doing small, affectionate motions.

Amber took a step back.  She was shaking.

Auggie would leave her.  Of course she would.  No one cared if Amber was not in their life.  Her parents did not care.  Hera would forget, soon, too, and Auggie would go to the Schumachers at the first chance she got.

Kismet saw her start to freak out, and did the first thing her empathic, caring soul thought of.  She slapped Amber across the face.

Amber sputtered and snapped her attention to Kismet.  “Like, what was that about?”

“You were freaking.  I slapped you.  This is a no-freak-zone.”  She moved towards the statue.  “Now come on!  We’re almost in last!”

Amber glared, and looked behind her again, and then followed Kismet’s lead.

 

Meanwhile, June had managed to scramble over the balance beam on her chest, avoiding the swinging weights by her precarious scrambling.

“Nice!  You did way better that time!”  Kara helped June up.

“Thanks.”  June was breathing heavily.  “I think I’m good as long as there’s not more--”

June saw the fifth obstacle and immediately drooped.  “Oh, no.”

“You were going to say rope?”

“I was going to say rope.”

 

“You know why I’ve given you such a hard time, right?”  Veracity said as Avril swung over the pit.

“No.”  Avril stepped off on the opposite ledge, and waited to help Veracity off of the rope as she came over.  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not very socially astute.”

Veracity came over on the rope at a slightly off angle, and rather than just help her, Avril grabbed her to keep her from swinging back.  Veracity smiled up at her, and lifted her glasses.  Avril looked into her white, sightless eyes, and blushed.

“Do you know now?”

Avril was so surprised that she dropped Veracity.  Luckily, Veracity had stabilized herself, having, of course, seen this coming.

Avril turned around in a flustered huff and walked towards the statue.  Veracity followed behind, replacing her glasses.  “Oh, come on!  How does your girlfriend flirt with you?  Does it also make you this flustered?”

“Yes.”

“You should relax.”  Veracity and Avril passed the invisible trigger for the final obstacle, and suddenly Veracity stopped moving.

Avril touched the statue, causing a sea green light to appear.  She turned and saw Veracity on the floor, holding her chest, trying to look around with sightless eyes.

She thought that she should not trust it, Avril walked over to her and knelt down, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Veracity screamed and scrambled back.  “No!  No, stay back!”

“Veracity, it’s me.  What’s wrong?”

“She....she’s here!  I can see her.  See her all around.  She’s...”  Veracity started to cry.  “She’s here to kill me.  I’m not....I’m not ready.”

“Veracity, listen.”  Avril put the hand back on her shoulder.  “No one’s here to kill you.  I promise.  And if they were, I would defend you.  I’d defend you as long as I can stand and hold my sword.”

Veracity looked stunned for a moment, and then she gave Avril a warm smile.  “That’s why I give you such a hard time.  Thank you for proving me right.”

Avril blushed, and helped her up.  Veracity’s fear melted away.  She pushed the figure she had seen, a fear she only barely remembered, away--a woman in a long cloak, with bright blue eyes.

 

“I...”  June was panting.  “...hate...ropes...so...much.”

“Well, you were a lot faster with that one, and we’ve saved up a use of my powers for the way back.”  Kara patted her on the back.  “Thanks for keeping me from wigging out.”

“Thanks for stopping wigging out on me.”  The two of them passed over the invisible trigger.  Normally, a metaphorical coin would be flipped, and Kara or June would be chosen at random.

Thanks to Lanessa, however, both of the faces of this coin had the same result.

June’s whole body caught fire, all at once.  Black and white flame surged all over her, growing larger and larger.  She saw the ground of the obstacle course start to rip apart, and the magic fade and flicker.

“June?”  Kara turned around.  June saw her skin start to char and flake away from the force of the energy she was producing.  Kara seemed oddly calm for this.

June screamed and stumbled back.  The heat raised, and June could hear panic from the announcer’s box, and screams from the rest of the Rangers.

Kara did not see fire, but she did see sparks, surging up June’s whole body.  Black and white energy cascading around her, and singing the area around her.  “June, what’s wrong?  Why’re you flipping out?”

“You’re burning.  I...I lost control!”

Kara kept her distance, but shook her head.  “No, you’re not.  Well, you’re losing control now but only because you’re panicking.  Nothing’s happening.”

“But you...” June calmed slightly, but only slightly.  “You’re burning.”

“No.  It’s not happening.  Trust me, I lowkey want to die but I would not be so calm while I was on fire.”

The sparks faded a bit more.  June still saw herself as being on fire, but, maybe Kara was right?  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  “I’m fine.”

She felt Kara’s hand on her back.  “I’m not burning.”  The screams faded from the background, and the discord vanished.

When June’s eyes opened, the fire had gone away.

“See?  No burning.”  Kara smiled, and gestured for her to follow.  “Come on, if we hurry, we might beat Team Rising Tide!”

 

“Alright Ranger Games fans, it’s me, Julius--”

“And I, Octavian--”

“With the final results!”

“In first place, with five points, bringing their total to six, is Team Cool Cat, which is hardly a surprise given Faye’s superior speed and strength, that, alas, absolutely no one warned Ms. Kerberus about.  And in second place, my beloved’s team, the Battle Buddies, with four points, bringing their total to six points!  Third place belongs to Team Best Friends, with three points!  Bringing them to a tie with the Battle Buddies for six total points!  Fourth place, with two points, is Team Muzzle Flash!  With another total of six points!  That certainly is a popular number, Julius.”

“Right?  Fifth place goes to Team Rising tide, bringing them up to a single point!  And in last place is my sister in Team Depression, bringing their total to five!  That’s not a great round for them, but they can still come back in the final round!”

“Right you are!  So, friends, the current standings are....a four-way tie for first place, with six points each, teams Cool Cat, Battle Buddies, Muzzle Flash, and Best Friends!  In second place is Team Depression with 5--that is a remarkably close contest no matter which way one looks at it.”

“It’s really amazing.”  Julius called out to the others.  “And in last, with one point, is Team Rising Tide!  I’m not sure if they can come back from that, but it’s good showing anyway!  Who knows, we might get a surprise second or third place!”

“It truly has been an incredible competition if a bit...Unorthodox in that final challenge.  I’m sure the Rangers have a lot to talk about, right now!”

 

****

 

“Ms. K, that last obstacle sucked.  A lot.”  Destiny said, arms crossed.

“Yeah it did!”  Kismet said, stepping next to her twin and mirroring her stance.  “I had to deal with emotions!”

“And it was really traumatic!”  Auggie said from her spot near Amber who was, for some reason, not looking at her.  “To both of us!”

“And I literally could have exploded and killed us all.”  June said.  She was laying with her head in Faye’s lap.

“She was sparking.”  Kara was standing near June.

“And I coulda swiped at Destiny if it’d been me, and she got really scared!”  Faye chimed in from where she was petting June’s hair.

Janice did not say anything.  She was staring at her phone, and then looking at Kara.  Cassie and Gemini were both near her.

“Well, then.”  Ms. Kerberus looked at the girls.  “It sounds as though it was an effective obstacle, then.”

“Natalie...”  Mr. Vember began.  “I don’t think this was wise, and you certainly should have cleared it with me, first.”

“Yeah, Natalie.”  Gemini said with a smirk.  “You definitely should have cleared it with Vember, first.”

“I won’t take criticisms from criminals who should still be in confinement.”  Ms. Kerberus turned to the girls.  “I’m sorry if that was a rather intense final obstacle, but it was not given out of cruelty.  On the field, you will face many terrible things.  You cannot afford to freeze up in the face of them.”

The junior rangers continued to grumble, but they did so a bit quieter.

“The final challenge will be a bit more straight-forward.”  Mr. Vember said, giving Ms. Kerberus a soft glare.  “In it, you will each receive five ‘lives’, and be placed on a battlefield of our design.  Your goal will be the last team standing.  Each time you receive a solid hit from another Ranger, you will receive a five second time-out and lose a life.  The team with the highest hit-count will receive a bonus point.”

“And, lastly, the winner of the round will receive a chance to get even more points in a final challenge.”  Ms. Kerberus added.  “You will have an hour to rest and have some snacks, and then we will proceed with the final event.”

 

“I really, really, really don’t like that lady.”  Auggie said to Amber where they were sitting, in the corner.

Amber was looking at her hands and her lap and did not respond.

“She’s just...ugh!  She’s the worst teacher, especially because she seems to think she’s a great teacher!  ‘You’ll face scary things so let’s exploit your psychological scars!  A+’”  Auggie grinned, and then looked at Amber.  She nudged her.  “Hey, you okay?  You normally can’t resist bad-mouthing people.”

“Yeah.  Like, I’m fine.”  Amber did not make eye contact with Auggie.

“No, oh, shoot, did you get hit with the fear bomb?”  Auggie tried to get Amber to look at her, but she pulled away.  “Ugh!  I hate her more!”

“Yeah, like...”  Amber looked up at Auggie.  “Are you....going to wanna be with Gemini?”

“...What do you mean by with?”

“Like, do you wanna date her or whatever?”  Amber snapped.  “Do you wanna be with, like, her, instead of, like, like, like, like--”

Auggie hugged Amber.  “Hey, hey, no.  She missed her chance at the Auggie train.  You’re the only conductor for me!”

Amber snorted and tried to keep herself from crying.  “That’s, like, the dorkiest thing you’ve ever said.  But, like....the Schumachers, like, mean so much to you.  I’m just, like, Amber.  The girl who, like, was mean and stuff.”

“Amber, you were mean because your brain is super bad to you and you were raised by bigots.  Yeah, okay, sure, the Schumachers mean a lot to me.  Even Gemini.  But I like you a lot, and no matter what she says, she’s never apologized for abusing me and my trust.”  Auggie smiled at her.  “I know you’re sorry for being mean.”

Amber shrugged.  “Yeah, like...I guess.”

“It’s true.”  Auggie poked her, and Amber cracked a small smile.

“I’m still gonna beat you in this game, though.”

“Oh, like, you sure?”

Auggie winked.  “Sure?  I’m...positive!”

Amber gave her a blank look.  “Like, was that an electricity pun?”

“Absolutely.”

“You dork.”

 

June did not want to stand.  Kara knelt next to her as she was still lying down with her head in Faye’s lap.  “Are you sure we can get first place, here?”

“Yep!  And if we get the bonus point, it can even be uncontested.”  June moved her head slightly, so that Faye could rub a different part of her head.  “If we don’t, we might lose, but we’ll at least get second place.”

“Right, because us and second place, unless it’s Veracity and Avril, would both have ten points.”  Kara frowned.  “You’re that confident?  You can do it?”

“Yeah, I can.  I have a few tricks up my sleeve.  Stuff I’ve been working on.  Second place is...probably going to be Cool Cat.”

“Aw!”  Faye said, sounding genuinely touched.

“Okay.  I’ll trust you.  I just...I want it to at least be close, you know?”

“It’s going to be close.  It’s already close.”  June looked over at Kara.  “We’re only down by one point.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.”  Kara took a deep breath.  “It’ll at least be close.  I have an idea.  I’ll tell you when we’re away from prying ears.”

“Oh, no!”  Faye said.  “I can cover my ears, if you want!  I might still be able to hear, though.”

“It can wait.”  Kara was a bit taken aback by just how earnest that statement was.

“We’ll be fine.”  June said.  “Trust me.  I know what I’m doing, and so do you.”

“Yeah.  Right.”

 

Cassie and Janice were sitting alone, in a hall.

“So...you know she’s...”

Cassie nodded.  “Yes.  I spoke with her about it last night.”

“Oh.”  Janice sighed.  “Is it...I mean there’s probably some confidentiality thing or something but...was it because of me?”

“No, it is not.  It is because of her own ideas about herself, and her self image.  You have talked to her about this?”

“I’ve texted her about it.  I wanna talk to her about it.  But.”

Cassie put her hand on Janice’s and smiled.  “You should talk to her, before she leaves.  She would like that.”

“Yeah.”  Janice smiled back at Cassie.  “Yeah, you’re right.  Thanks, Cass.”

“It’s no problem.  It’s what Research and Battle Buddies are for.”

 

Gemini paced around the room.  She desperately did not want to look at Auggie, but found herself continually looking at her, anyway.

This was torture.  She had known she had some sort of feelings for Auggie, but she never knew they were like this.  She now knew that she had always loved Auggie, and that had hidden those feelings in cruelty and petty bullying.  She wondered if Cassie had done the same.

She was so focused on her own tormented feelings that she did not notice that the March twins were flanking her.

“So.”  Destiny began.

“Someone’s riled up.”  Kismet finished.

Gemini stopped, and rolled her eyes.  “If you’re going to try to attempt to do the whole unsettling twin routine, I am a twin in a family of twins, it’s not going to work on me in the slightest.”

Kismet rolled her eyes.  “No, we just wanted to see if you had drama we found interesting.”

“Yeah!  You guys are like a soap opera.”  Destiny grinned.  “Give us the details!”

Gemini stared at the two of them for a moment.  “Absolutely not.”

“Oh, come on!”  Destiny flanked her on one side.  “I love drama.  Even though sometimes it almost gets me eaten.”

“It also gets you slapped a bunch.”

“Also that.”

“No.  I’m not telling you anything.”  Gemini narrowed her eyes, and looked to Kismet.  “Don’t you keep saying you hate emotions?”

“Ohhhhh, yeah, but, I hate dealing with emotions when they’re my problem.  I love watching emotions crash and burn.”

“It’s her absolute favorite thing.”

“Drama I don’t got to deal with.”

Gemini looked at both of them rather incredulously.  “Again, the answer is completely and utterly no.”

“Pleeease?”  They said in unison.  “We won’t tell anyone.”  Destiny said.

“Only each other.”

“And it’ll feel better to talk about it.”

“Soooo much better.”

“And we aren’t related to the situation.”

“No investment in it at all.”

Gemini groaned.  “Okay.  Fine.  You know what?  Here it is.  I--”

Ms. Kerberus cleared her throat.  “Girls, it’s time to begin the fight.”

“That is the very first time I have been thrilled to hear her talk.”

 

*****

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie was waiting in her spot, invisible against the ceiling of the training room.  The training room was now in the shape of a hexagon, with each team at a different point of the hexagon.  The floor was uneven, with hills and dips poles in places.  In the very center of it was a gazebo with the Stellar Ranger symbol statue inside of it.  Around the edges were scoreboards with a life count for each of the junior rangers.

She had not really interfered with this phase of the fight--her only influence was making the final part of it extra difficult.  She was eager to see her June win this fight.  She had worked very hard on molding June’s growth, and this would be a perfect opportunity to see that growth in action. 

 

“Alright, rangers!”  Julius shouted.  “Are you ready!”

There was a general call of assent from the field.  Even though the obstacle course had left a bad taste in their mouths, for the most part, every one of them felt at least a bit of excitement for this last test.

“Okay.”  Kara said in their corner.  June’s life count was in black and white, and Kara’s was rainbow colored.  “The plan is, we protect Rising Tide if we can.  If they get second and we get first, we win, no contest.”

June nodded.  “Alright, but, get behind me when we start.  I’m going to try something and you might get in collateral damage range if you’re not behind me.”

“Octavian, could you gimme a countdown?”

“Certainly!  Five!  Four!  Three!  Two! O--”

“Oh, I’m going to kill Malcolm!”  Came Senine’s voice from the announcer’s box as she checked his website from her recently emancipated phone.

“That aside, One!  Go!”

 

Almost everyone ran forward at once.  A gunshot sounded, a howl filled the air, and elements flared up all around the arena.  Lighting crackled and walls of flame shot up.  The ground covered in ice and thorny vines shot up everywhere.  Chains shot out of the ground, and that ground began to shake.  Water crashed across in waves across the arena, and actions suddenly had dramatically different outcomes than were intended.

And, in all of that initial chaos, Kara ducked behind June.

June began to crackle, and lifted her arms up.  A sudden, powerful wave of black and white energy shot out from her, towards the other end of the arena.  Every other junior ranger was picked up by the cascading energy and then immediately entered timeout.  A full ten scoreboards counted down from five to four all at once.  The gazebo was very slightly cracked, and the statue was crooked.

Kara gave June an amazed look.  June grinned back at her, though she looked a little winded.  “Wow, I had no idea that would work this well.”

“You didn’t know that would work?!”

 

“And June, in a...wow, just kind of amazing display of power, knocks everyone else into second place and also takes the hit count lead by a longshot, right off the bat!  Great job, sis!”

 

“I’ve never done it before!  And, wow, that felt good to do.”

“Pause!”  Ms. Kerberus shouted.  When she did, the timeout counters all froze, preventing the game from restarting.  “June, I thought I told you at the start, no use of the Penumbra.”

“That wasn’t the Penumbra!  You’d know if it was the Penumbra.  I transform when I do that.  That was just Nemesis!  Basically me releasing a lot of energy but not as focused as like, a big attack would be.”

“Novias...”

Mr. Vember cleared his throat.  “Ms. Hespia is correct, Natalie.  If that had been an eruption of Penumbral energy, the gazebo would have surely perished.”

Ms. Kerberus sighed, and resumed the counter.  As soon as she did, all ten other girls popped back into the arena.

“I don’t suppose you can do that again?”

June shook her head and summoned her daggers.  “No.  Not without being totally useless.”

Kara summoned her staff and got it ready as the others got their bearings again.  “Alright, so, we just made ourselves huge targets.  Just so you know.”

June grinned.  “Yes. It’s exactly the training I’ve been looking for.”

 

The rifle cracked, and Cassie was shot into timeout.  Amber ratcheted another round into place, aimed it at Gemini, and fired, sending the other twin into timeout as well.  Kismet, in front of her, was fighting axe to axe with her sister.  She swiped out at her, leaping back and sending out a wave of heat that Destiny blocked with an ice wall.

“Getting out some aggression?  Now THAT’S an emotional coping mechanism I understand!”  Kismet grinned.  “Knew I liked you.”

Amber gave her a half smile, and aimed at June.  She was interrupted when a bolt of lightning shaped like her girlfriend struck her and sent her into timeout.  “Sorry, babe!  All’s fair!”  Immediately after doing that, a very sharp tarot card struck her, and she vanished into timeout.

“Wait wait wait.”  Destiny held up her hand.  “Why’re we fighting, when we could be fighting...”  Destiny gestured with her head towards June, who was currently trying to blast the newly returned Cassie before she got her bearings.

“What, you want to beat up your new girlfriend?”  Kismet teased, but stopped attacking.  “Though you have a point, if we beat her....”

“....We can fight for first place amongst ourselves.”

They grinned at each other.

Faye slashed out at Avril with both claws,  and Avril deflected both with her sword--however, she was being slowly pushed towards the wall by Faye’s clawed onslaught.

She was prepared to be sent to the timeout zone when a prismatic beam of light struck Faye in the back and sent her away instead.

June blasted a bunch of vines that bursted from the ground to grab her, and then sent a second blast towards Cassie, who dodged to the side.  She was very engrossed in this, and almost did not see both March twins lunge at her.

June dodged back and fired a blast of darkness at Destiny, who blocked it with a wall of ice.  As it exploded, Kismet shot through in a ball of fire, bringing both axes down at June.  June was struck, and found herself, for the first time, in Timeout.

She had expected something a lot more ostentatious, but she was just in a dark corner of the arena.  It was a very long five seconds, and then she was back on the field.

Faye howled, and Janice dropped her mace and took a step back in order to cover her ears.  Faye got on all fours and lunged at Janice, who raised a volcanic pillar.  Faye smashed through it, and managed to tag Janice before they both went into timeout.

Gemini had gotten Amber into melee range, and had her scythe hooked around her gun.  Amber growled, and tried to throw Gemini off, but got another hit from Auggie to the back for her trouble.  Faye lunged at Gemini and got a solid hit on her, and continued her momentum, striking Auggie as well.

Cassie hopped away from a crashing wave, and right into the path of another pointy card.  Both March twins slashed away Veracity, and turned as one towards Avril.  However, before they could attack, they each got a blast of light and dark, respectively.  Avril started to relax, and then got wrapped in chains and slammed into a timeout.

Faye swiped her claws at Kara, who backed up, jabbing her staff at the advancing cheerleader. Faye knocked it out of the way, and slashed both claws down, sending her into a timeout.  She turned quickly and managed to catch Cassie’s scythe by the haft and used it to lift her up and throw her directly at Kismet, sending both to the Timeout.

A blast of light struck Faye, and then a blast of darkness struck Destiny.  June felt a little guilty about both of these things.

Gemini’s scythe lashed out at Amber, who ducked and tried to jab her bayonet at her.  Gemini dodged to the side and slashed it out with her whole body.  The blade missed Amber, and she pulled chains from the floor and tried to grab Gemini.  Gemini let them grab her.  Amber started to aim her gun, and then turned it towards the oncoming Auggie.  “Oh no you don’t!”

Vines pushed up all around them, though, and all three of them were overcome and placed in a timeout.  Cassie turned and dodged away from a fan of sharp cards.  She raised vines around Veracity, who just happened to step away in time to avoid her, but not fast enough to avoid the wave of volcanic earth that smashed into her.

Janice wanted to high-five Cassie, but she was cut off when Avril lunged at her.  She swung out her mace, but Avril slid under it on a current of water and slashed at her, sending her into Timeout.  She did not have time to celebrate, however, as the March twins descended on her after that.

 

“And it is pure pandemonium in the arena!”  Octavian shouted.  “If it were not for the scoreboard, I’d hardly know who was in what place.”

Senine was no longer watching the match.  She was typing a very long, very angry email into her phone.

 

Kismet stepped back, towards Amber.  She dropped her axes and lifted her hands over her head, gathering fire around her.  Avril noticed this and moved in front of her, lifting her own arms up and gathering water around them.

Kismet launched forth a firestorm, and Amber slammed down a huge wave towards it.

A huge cloud of steam filled the arena, then, severely dropping visibility from all around it.

Veracity grinned.  She danced into the middle of the arena, cards in hand, and threw six out in rapid succession, each in seemingly random directions.  The scoreboards told the story that the arena could not--June, Kara, Cassie, Janice, Kismet, and Destiny all had very sudden timeouts.

Auggie closed her eyes, and felt the air.  She dashed forward, then, and slammed her batons right into Veracity.

The air started to get very, very cold.  When the newly popped back Kismet felt this, she instinctively warmed the air around herself and Amber.

The fog then turned into a freezing sleet, battering everyone on the field except for Amber, Kismet, Destiny--its caster, her teammate, Faye, and Veracity, who had been in Timeout when the onslaught hit.

When the ice cleared, both the Battle Buddies and Team Best Friends had been knocked out of the fight.  Teams Muzzle Flash and Cool Cat were the only ones not in timeout.

“We each take a cheerleader?”  Kismet asked.

Destiny nodded.  “Right!”

Amber caught on to what was going on almost immediately, and aimed her rifle at Destiny.  However, she had not quite calculated on which cheerleader that had been meant, and did not notice when Kismet’s axe came her way until it knocked her out of the game.

Faye’s eyes widened, and she started to protest, but then dodged to the side as Destiny’s axe came around.

“Sorry!  It’s a twin thing, we agreed that the two of us would fight for first and second place!  Nothing personal, sweetie.”  Destiny’s frozen axes lashed out at Faye.  Faye sprung back, and got down in a defensive position.  Kismet jogged up next to Destiny.

“Yep!  We’re always in sync, unless something like a girl’s involved.”  Kismet said, and then her eyes immediately went wide as a dread realization came over her.

Destiny’s axe to her back sent Kismet out of the game.  Destiny extended a hand for Faye and gave her a wink.

As she helped Faye up, Avril, Veracity, June, and Kara popped back to the arena.

 

“That was a bit longer than five seconds.”  Mr. Vember gave Ms. Kerberus a bemused look.

She did not make eye contact.  “The drama was too good, Novias, I couldn’t help myself but to give it a little space to play out.”

 

June had her daggers out, and Kara had her staff at the ready.  The black and white scoreboard and the rainbow scoreboard both had the same number on them--two.

Faye was crouched low, with her claws out, and Destiny was next to her with her axes in hand.  The yellow scoreboard and the blue-and-white scoreboard also had the same number--one.

Avril had her sword ready, and was standing in front of Veracity, who had another hand full of cards.  The pink scoreboard and the sea green scoreboard were also both one.

 

“And it looks like we have a standoff after a rather chaotic and action-packed battle!”  Octavian cried.  “Team Depression is in the lead, but just barely!  Team Rising Tide is, for the first time, in the top three, and Team Cool Cat has survived a series of exciting backstabs!”

“I can’t fucking believe it.”  Senine muttered.

“It certainly is an exciting final match!”

“I’m talking about Malcolm.”

“I know!  But I’m not, and that’s the most important thing of all!”

 

A flurry of ice shards flew across the arena, and slammed into a shield of hard light in front of Team Depression.  Faye sprinted forward and lunged at Veracity and Avril.  Avril picked them both up in a current of water and pulled them both back.

A ray of light shot out at Destiny, who dodged to the side, and then raised an ice wall to block the rest of it.  A blast of light smashed through it, and Destiny fell to the ground to avoid the following blast of darkness.

Veracity brushed the water off of herself and stepped back, just as Kara approached her, staff raised.  Veracity closed her useless eyes, and allowed her powers to speak to her.  Kara swiped her staff at her, and Veracity perfectly dodged it, as well as all of the follow-up attacks.

Faye once again had Avril on the ropes, using her superior strength and agility to pressure her back.  Avril was holding her own only by dint of having trained extensively to deal with multiple opponents.

With the others distracted, Destiny advanced on June.  “Wow, first I kiss you, and now I fight you!”

June’s hands were both glowing.  She threw a blast of light at her, and Destiny slid out of the way on a patch of ice and hurled one of her axes at June.  June panicked and blasted it out of the air with a bolt of darkness.  During this distraction, Destiny closed in on June with her axe raised in both hands.

Faye slashed down at Avril and knocked her out of the game.  A stray card struck Faye in the shoulder, and sent her out, too.  However, while Veracity had been busy with that, Kara knocked her with her staff, sending her out, too.

June blocked the axe with both of her daggers, but Destiny forced the blade down, being stronger than June was.  Destiny put all of her weight into it, and then jumped back to avoid a beam from Kara.

Destiny glanced around and saw that she was alone with Team Depression.  “Welp.”

“Dezzy.”  Kara said as she approached.

“Kare-Bear.”

June took a step back.  She was pretty sure that Kara wanted to do this on her own.

And then Kara shouted, “Now, June!”

June had not been prepared to attack Destiny, so when she spun, axes raised, June just gave her a confused look and a shrug.

Destiny’s eyes went wide and then she sighed as she turned, “Well, I guess that’s fai--”

A staff smack knocked her out of the game.

 

“And the winner of both first place and the most-hits bonus prize:  Team Depression!  Wow, great job, sis!  I think that puts you in first place!”

“Right you are, Julius!”  Octavian cried.  “What an amazing game!  In first, we have team Depression with five points, plus one bringing them up to eleven points!  That’s an unbeatable score, ladies and a couple gentleman!  And in second place, with four points, Team Cool Cat!  This brings their score to ten points, bringing them in a solid second place, another unbeatable score!  In third, Team Rising tide, with three points, bringing them to four!  That’s not going to get them out of last place, but, still, what an amazing showing from them!  In fourth place we have Team Muzzle Flash, with two points, bringing them to third overall with eight points!  And, unfortunately and somewhat ironically, we have the Battlebuddies and Team Best Friends in fifth place, bringing them to seven points and tying them for the overall fourth place!”

“Oh, and now we’re coming to the final event!”  Leah said, managing to finally get into it.  “The secret bonus round for extra points!  Not that Team Depression needs it.”

 

The statue in the center of the arena shook, and metal bands started to shoot up around it.

“Oh, no!”  Kara sighed.  “More of Ms. Kerberus’s stupid power!”

“Wait,  _ she _ made the monsters?”

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, she can make monsters and direct them with her riding crop.”

June gave her an incredulous look.

“Yes, her weapon is a riding crop.  Yes, all the jokes you can make about it have been made.”

The plates took the form of a body much like the Minotaur’s, save that its lower body was a long snake tail.  It had three long, serpentine necks, each of which was topped with a Medusa head.

Six pairs of eyes flashed, and Kara covered June’s eyes before she could get a good look at them, closing her own.

“It’s got a Medusa thing going on!  It’ll count as a hit if we look at it.”  Kara waved a hand,  raising an opaque shield of hard light up.  Once it was in place, she uncovered June’s eyes.

“Attention, sigh, Team Depression.”  Ms. Kerberus called.  “You will receive an additional point for each life you have upon beating the Amalgamation, assuming you are able to.  You have no penalty for losing, of course, this will just influence the margin by which you win.”

“So, four point victory?”  June said to Kara.

“Of course!”  Kara grinned.  “Glad you’re finally getting it.”

The monster began to slither towards them.  June threw a globe of darkness up over the top of the beast, enshrouding its heads completely.  “Can you keep it distracted?  I can destroy it if--”

The Amalgamation spun around and whipped its tail, right at June.  June’s eyes widened, and she braced for the hit--but, instead, the tail smashed against the opaque shield around June.  Kara darted out the other way, her hands glowing.  She left a series of after-images behind her, each looking either like June or herself.  June rushed in the other direction.

Medusa heads popped out of the darkness, glowing eyes all pointed towards June.  She looked away, and launched a bolt of light blind.  It did not hit, and June found herself cornered, and unable to see what she was fighting.

From behind the monster, a bright beam of rainbow light shot out and burned through two of the necks, sending their heads toppling to the ground.

“I might not have the Penumbra but I’m still a threat!”  Kara shouted.  Without even looking at her, the monster raised its tail and slammed it down.  She leapt to the side and barely avoided the hit.

June covered her eyes with a shroud of darkness.  The remaining head hissed at her, and the Amalgamation lifted an oversized arm, slamming it down towards her.  She saw it through the haze and lifted her hands, sending out a spray of black and white fire that consumed the arm and also about half of its torso.

Its glowing eyes flared brightly.  Its tail whipped around to sweep June away.  A spray of rainbow light cascaded over the beast, and it paused for a moment, entranced by the lights.  June responded to this by blasting it again, this time destroying its entire torso, and head as well.

 

“Amazing!”  Leah was now standing on the desk, much to the chagrin of everyone in the room, even the very grumpy Senine.  “Without even losing one life, June and Kara have defeated the Amalgamation!  That’s a whopping fifteen points, making them the uncontested winners of the Ranger Games!”

 

*****

 

Kara held her trophy tight to her chest as she left the training room.  June’s was in her hand, bouncing against her hip.

“I can’t believe we did it.”  She said, looking down at her trophy.  “We weren’t perfect but we won.  By like five points.”

June grinned at her.  “We did.  I’m...I’m so relieved we won.  This makes me feel a lot better about fighting the Savage Stars.  I didn’t know if we could do it but everyone did so well.  I know we can do it.  I just know--”

She was interrupted when Faye launched herself at her, wrapping her in a big hug.  “Oh, Junie!  You did it!  You did great!  I almost got you but you won and you were great and it’s great!”

June giggled and twirled with Faye.  “I did!  And you did great!”

Destiny and Kismet flanked Kara.  Destiny sighed dramatically.  “Okay, Kare-Bear, you beat me.  That was really dirty, by the way.”

“You’re one to talk.”  Kismet gave her a dirty look.

“Right? I’m so proud.”

Kara rolled her eyes, but she was smiling a lot.

Cassie and Gemini were embracing each other.  They both looked very dismal and at least a little upset.  Auggie and Janice, on the other hand, were sitting next to Amber and Veracity.  As Team Depression came into the room, Janice and Auggie both waved.  Amber could not wave, because she had her arms wrapped around Auggie.

“Alright Junie!”  Auggie shouted.

“Yeah!  You did great!”  Janice stood up and walked over to them.  She looked at Kara and smiled.  “You, too.”

“God, Jan.”  Kara blushed.  “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Veracity sighed.  “It looks as though all remnants of the old Kara aren’t completely gone.”

“Yeah.  But that’s not a bad thing.”  Janice smiled.  “You wanna talk for a bit?”

Kara looked suddenly a little nervous, but she nodded.  Destiny and Kismet exchanged a look, but did not follow them as they walked off.

June held Faye and even let Destiny hug them, too.  It was just a game, yeah, but she was sure that this was the start of even more victories.

 

*****

 

Kara and Janice sat on the roof of the tower.  Janice was sitting on the ledge, while Kara was on the ground in front of her.

“I had no idea.  I’m so sorry, Kara.”  Janice looked extremely concerned.

“It’s okay.  I haven’t told anyone, not even the twins.  Or Ms. K.”  Kara sighed.  “It’s just you, Cassie, and June.  But it’s good that you know.”

“I just wish I could’ve done something, you know?”

Kara stood up and sat back down next to Janice.  “You couldn’t have.  But thanks.”  Kara let there be a moment of silence before she said, “I missed you.  I get I was an ultra bitch and made you want to leave, but....but I missed you.  I wish you hadn’t gone.”

“I sometimes wish I didn’t go, either.”  Janice sighed.  “I don’t know.  I know I could go back but I like it here.  I think you and the twins would like it here, too.  And I know Veracity’s planning on coming back.”

“...I don’t know.”  Kara looked over at Janice.  “I’ll think about it.  I don’t know if Ms. Kerberus will let me leave.  But...I definitely want to visit you more.  I miss when we were better friends.”

“Yeah.”  Janice’s smile grew as she looked at Kara.  “Totally.”

 

*****

 

Avril waited outside the announcer box.  She gave cursory waves to everyone as they left, until she saw a familiar wheelchair leave it.  Avril stepped behind it and started to push Senine back towards the infirmary.

“Oh, good, you’re here.”  Senine said.  “I need someone to tease before I spend a thousand years yelling at Malcolm.  He put up a picture of us fighting Jakil or Jikal or whatever his name is.  Our faces are censored but no one needs his video accounts to suddenly go viral or whatever because of this.”

“I’m sure you’ll do very well at annoying him into conceding.”

Senine cracked a smile.  “Holy shit, Epee, was that a joke?”

“You’re imagining it.”  Avril fought the urge to smile back.  “Now let’s get you laying down.  I doubt you can hurt yourself nearly as much yelling while lying down.”

“Sure, fishlegs, that sounds perfect.”

 

*****

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie laughed as she twirled through the Officer’s Lounge of the Savage Stars.  “Oh, she’s wonderful.  They’re all doing so well but she’s gotten even better. She’s so perfect for what I need her for.”

“I’m happy for you, my Lady.”  Layon said, absolutely not happy at all.  Shryk nudged against her, and she started to idly rub the top of her egg, her mood very slightly improving.  “When will we be fighting them next?”

“When they feel they’re ready for it, naturally.  There’s no rush, despite what Hal might tell you.”  She paused her twirl to consider that a moment.  “Of course, he doesn’t realize there’s no rush.  No, we pressure them slightly, perhaps pretend to test the defenses of the Tower.  Nothing that would break any treaties, just enough so that they feel that they’re in danger.”

“If I can ask, Lady Lanessa.”  Jakil said.  “What is the motivation behind this? What are we accomplishing?”

Lanessa turned around and Layon breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Lanessa was smiling rather than angry at being questioned.

“It’s simple, my dear canine lackey.  We’re going to convince them they’re in danger, so that we know they feel ready for it when we see them next.  And that’s when we’ll see the full test of their mettle.”


	16. Episode 16:  A Grim Autumn for Leah

**September**

 

Leah Noel Vember woke up near the end of September to the sounds of her father yelling on the phone.  The past few weeks had led to what had become a very loud house becoming a very quiet house, so the noise was, in a strange way, a slightly soothing way to wake up, in all of the ways it was also rather distressing.

She got up and straightened up her nightshirt before leaving the room and going to start up breakfast for herself and her father.  She brought out eight eggs, and then paused, and put four of them back.  She frowned at that, and while the skillet heated, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through it to pictures of herself, Senine, and Faye at the boardwalk.  She sighed and put her phone away.

Her father came downstairs while the scrambled eggs were cooking.  He gave his daughter a weak smile, and then walked over to start up the coffee.  “The therapist is not coming, after all.  On top of that, my orders are to ask Natalie to take the Shining Stars with her and leave.  With the Savage Stars lurking around the park, lately, this has been determined to be a potential war scenario, and we’re to do everything we can to prevent war.  They see our warning of a potential Vran Sie to be unfounded, and though they’re sending some experts to investigate the claim, it will be...a while before they arrive.  And they don’t want any reinforcements--or people who may be mistaken as a reinforcement--to make the Savage Stars believe we are martially forces for a war.”  He sighed.  “To be fair, they do have a standing army...and if they field them, we will be incapable of dealing with them.”

Leah frowned.  “The girls are not going to be happy with that.  Gosh, Faye’s going to be crushed.  She and June have been getting really close to Destiny.  And Senine and Avril are close with Veracity.  And wow, they’re all pretty good friends.”

“It’s going to be hard for many reasons.  They have been working very hard for the past few weeks.”  Novias sighed.  “They are going to be devastated.”

Leah put the eggs on the table, and her father put the coffee on.  Some toast followed, and they had a meal in mostly silence.

“Dad, I was wondering...I mean, I’ve been thinking a lot about this.  But..Maybe, if my star was unsealed, maybe I could...help, you know?”

Her father put down his fork. “Leah..this just isn’t the time for taking risks like this.”

“We’re getting in a bad situation, Dad, I just think I could help.  And I’m under your jurisdiction, so all of those rules won’t apply, right?”

“They won’t...but...You’ve got a lot of energy pent up.  If you have a volatile heart...”

Leah sighed.  “Yeah.  You’re right, Dad.  Sorry.  I just...I feel like I could help more than researching and routing calls.  I want to help and maybe my power’s not too terrible and it’d really help.”

“Well..”  He considered for a moment.  “There are some new magic rituals we could attempt to see if we cannot get a read on your power.  When I manage to get the proper equipment--which, hopefully, I will not also be denied for tenuous reasons--we can see what your heart is all about, and prepare properly for unsealing it if it’s feasible.”

Leah’s eyes widened.  “Are...are you for real?  Is this serious?”

Mr. Vember nodded.  “I confess, the techniques have been being refined for some time, now, and they still are not completely accurate, however....yes, I believe they are safe and accurate enough that I can order the necessary equipment.  It may take some time, however--it is not currently available on Earth.”

“Okay, okay, but...but then...”  Leah was crying.  She got up and hugged her father tightly.

“I am sorry Leah.  If I had not done this to you, it would not even have been a problem.”

“It’s okay, Daddy.  You were scared.”  She patted her dad on the back and went back to her eggs and coffee.

“Yes.  Well.  People do stupid things when they are sacred.”

 

*****

 

The rest of Leah’s day was a whirlwind of classes and intermittent texts with Senine, Faye, and Julius, like most days.

About halfway through the day, Leah knew that her after school job would be very, very loud.

She usually treasured her walks through the park, on the way to the Tower.  Sure, they were the same thing every time, but it was always fun to watch the people and dogs in the park, and to hear the birds and see the fountain bubbling.

However, the presence of the Savage Stars had changed all of that.  The ground had been disturbed and trees uprooted in several places, and the benches and lampposts had been twisted into odd, menacing shapes.  Just walking through parts of the park seemed to take longer than before, and people had been given reports of seeing some sort of wolf-creature lurking in the shadows, seemingly behind every tree at once.

The park was nearly empty when Leah reached the fountain.  The birds were still here, but there were fewer, as they sensed some great predator, lurking in the shadows.

As soon as she reached the entry room of the Tower, she heard shouting.  It was coming from deeper inside, up in the library.  Leah steeled herself, and went up the stairs, into the room.

It was a cacophony.

Her father and Aunt Natalie were trying to keep the peace, but not a single girl present was happy--which was everyone but Avril, Veracity, and Senine.  Octy was wearing a skirt, so Leah was pretty sure she counted as a girl, today.

“We need all the help we can get!”  June said.

“Yeah!”  Destiny said, standing next to June.  “These Savage Star creeps are doing a lot of creepy stuff down there!”

“June, you’ve said you and your team can handle it, yes?”

“Yeah, but, they’re really helping us for training!”

“Are you certain you’re not just enamored with the high of two girlfriends?”

June narrowed her eyes, but she did not talk.

“That’s not fair, Ms. K.”  Destiny said.  “She’s not officially dating me, yet.”

“Ms. Kerberus,”  Auggie stood up, now.  “We could actually legit die, speaking as someone who’s not quite as confident as Junie.  Even if we win!  These guys are both tough and mean!”

“Miss Levey--”

“Mr. Vember, you know it’s true!”

Leah knew that her dad did indeed know it was true.

“Miss Levey....”  Mr. Vember began.  “We can’t risk a war.”

“The Vran Sie thing, though.  That’s, like, important!  Right?”

“Yes, Miss Septus, but...”

Leah slipped out of the room and took a deep breath.  She walked up the stairs, towards the infirmary.  Honestly, she knew exactly how that talk would play out--namely, that every single person involved would be incredibly frustrated by the end, like they did every night.  She knew Aunt Natalie would push it back as just kids not understanding the situation as well as they thought they did, and she knew that her dad would go home and pretend he was not crying.

Leah peeked in on the infirmary.

Senine was sitting in bed, talking to Veracity.  Avril had cleared some space and was absent-mindedly doing footwork drills with a mop as her sword.

“I kind of think this is the butchest thing you’ve ever done.”

Veracity nodded.  “But not the butchest thing she will ever do.”

“I don’t know how fencing with a mop is butch.  I’m pretty sure this is you two making fun of me, as usual.”

“It can be both.  Do you need a broom?  I think a broom would be hotter.”

“Please do not put your cleaning products fetish on me.”

Veracity laughed.  “And that wasn’t a joke.  Oh, I really do like you, Avril.”

“I have a girlfriend.”

Veracity shrugged.  “For now.”

“She likes being teased.”  Senine grew a sly grin.  “I don’t get it, honestly, but we both know she can leave if she wants to.”

“Oh, there’s no denying that.”  Veracity winked at Avril.

“I’m here because you can’t be trusted to stay in bed without hurting yourself.”

“Please.  I’m fine, Greenette Wonder.”

“That is the worst nickname you’ve ever given me.”

Leah could not help but smile as she closed the door.  No one was very good at reading Senine’s actual mood, most of the time, not unless she was very, very upset.  However, Leah thought that she was getting better at it, and she was fairly certain that Senine was actually happy at the moment.

She reached the top of the tower, the traditional brooding point, and sat on a bench.  From this high up, the park looked like it always had, before the Savage Stars had taken to haunting it.  She dropped her backpack and pulled out some of her assigned reading.

She read until the fall sun had fallen low enough that she did not have enough light to read, and pulled out her phone.

She sent a message to Julius.  “why do I go to college???????”

It was a few minutes before he replied.  “education?”

“okay okay fair.  hear me out.

“I’m never going to have a job.  okay that’s one.

“well I’m going to HAVE a job but it’s always going to be this.

“you know?

“I’m going to be my dad’s secretary for my whole life.  I’m going to be looking stuff up.

“a researcher for stellar rangers at best.”

“well.”  He replied after Leah’s deluge ended.  “if you have powers that can be woken up then maybe you won’t have to just be a researcher or secretary

“and if you do have to be that then that’s fine it’s cool even.”

“yeah I guess.”  Leah sighed and looked out at the city.  “I just wish I had an answer on that front.  is it bad that I resent my dad a little because of it?”

“no.  i mean i understand what the deal is but it’s fine to resent it.

“honestly.

“from what june says sometimes i resent some of the stuff your dad does too.

“its all caution you know but there isn’t any action

“im gonna use a sports metaphor and im sorry but if you only play defense you never win the game.

“i wanna keep june safe too but i think at this point he needs to prep for offense cause its clear these savage star guys arent in here for something straight forward.

“and maybe their bluff needs called.

“but then again im just a guy trying to become a teacher.  i dont know stellar ranger policy i just know what you and june tell me.”

Leah lowered the phone and tried to ignore all of the feelings that reading that had.  She was frustrated with her father, and with her boyfriend, and with the Stellar Rangers, and Aunt Natalie, and school, and everything else, all at once.

So she started her Autumn frustrated and alone, at the top of the Tower, thinking about the complete and total lack of choice in her life.

 

*****

 

Advisor Grim slithered back and forth in the throne room, nervously glancing in both directions as he moved.

“Why is it, Grim, that you look like you’re hiding something?”

Grim jumped, and turned to see Lanessa sitting across the throne, with her legs hanging on the arms.

“I am not, of coursssssse, my lady.”  Grim bowed.

“Respect!  That’s even more suspicious.”  Lanessa hopped off the throne and approached him.  “There’s nothing you’re hiding from your Prince, is there?”

Grim kept his head low.  “No, my Lady.  It issss sssssimply a ssssstressssssful time.  The lassst thing my Prinssssse needssss iss for me to bring up unnesssesssssary ssstrife.”

“Ohhh, so, this isn’t respect for me, it’s respect for your Prince’s ordeal.”  Lanessa tapped a nail on her chin.  “That makes sense.”

“How....isssss my Prinsssse?”

“He’s doing well!  I’ve managed to keep him stabilized with my heart.  Naturally.”  Lanessa’s cruel smile remained.  “Have you not seen him?”

“He hasss...not left hissss room in ssssome time.  Which you are well aware of.”

Lanessa walked past him.  “I am!  And Supreme General Layon!  How unexpected!  Is something the matter?”

Layon, who was standing in the doorway, froze for only a second.  “No, there is not.  I was looking for my Prince.  I have the latest information on our harrying of the Stellar Rangers.”

“Oh, excellent!  I’ll walk you to him, actually.  I was just about to visit him.”  Lanessa glided over to her.  “You’re dismissed, Grim, unless you’d rather just wait here for until you’re useful.  Whenever that may be.”

Grim glared at her as she left with Layon.

His Autumn started with frustration as well, and a renewal of his vow to see Lanessa’s evil schemes thwarted.

  
  


**October**

 

In October, Leah had midterms.

It was the second month of the siege.

These two facts came into very, very heavy conflict.

Leah was in the library with a pile of books in front of her.  Half of them were books of Stellar Ranger research, largely on obscure rules about the military.  The other half were books for her literature exams, in several languages, as well as a couple science textbooks.

She needed absolute concentration to do her job and also finish her studies.

The loud lamentations from teenagers filling the room did not help with this at all.

“I can’t believe they let those...those...those...”  Faye began as she paced around the room.

“Absolute, like,  jerks who used to, like,  be my friends?”

“Yes!  How could they let them back on the team?!  It’s....”

Amber groaned and slumped onto her back.  “We’re, like, absentee captains.  If it wasn’t for, like, Lynneth we would’ve been, like, dropped, already.  And we,like, definitely can’t say they, like, can’t fill the gap, we, like left.  And Valerie and, like, Bethany, are, like, nimble?  Even though they’re, like, awful?  Until this siege, like, ends, we have to, like, endure it?  Jacki and, like, Steve?  They have to, like, be our, like...lieutenants or whatever.”

Faye fell over next to Amber.  “This is just...just...just a darn mess!”

“It, like, sucks.”

“It really sucks.”

Leah took a drink of coffee and underlined the wrong thing.  She made a dismal noise, and then went back to work.

“Come on, Cassie!”  Auggie said as she followed her throughout the library.  “It’s a great costume!”

“It’s...it’s a lazy costume!  Halloween is my night, Auggie.  I always have an amazing costume and don’t you dare say a rich costume!”  She turned around and pointed at Auggie.

“Okay, yeah, I won’t.  But it’s a classic, Cassie!  You can be a kitty!  My witchly familiar!  Come on, Amber and Faye are on board!  They’re going to be a witch and a familiar, too!”

“It, like, distracts from the cheerleading, like, nightmare we’re facing?”  Amber said from the floor.

“No!  It’s just cat ears and paw mittens!  That’s not...not good enough!”  Cassie stomped her feet.  “I always have a good costume.”

“So, you can be the witch, then!”  Auggie patted her on the arm.  “It’ll be fine.  Then I can be the cat and spend the whole night rubbing against Amber’s legs.”

“I....”  Cassie sighed.  “I apologize, Auggie.  I simply wish...”

“You want the birthday you always get.”  Auggie put her hand on Cassie’s shoulder.  “I get it.  But we’re under siege and we can only do so much, y’know?”

“Yes.”  She slumped against a wall.  “Yes, I know.”

Leah had just spent that conversation re-reading the same passage, over and over again.  She sighed and collected her things.

Faye’s ears perked, and she peeked over the table.  “Oh no, Leah!  Are we getting in the way?  I’m sorry!”

“No, it’s fine.”  Leah stuffed her things into her bag.  “I just need some quiet to get this reading done.”  She left the room, then, and walked up to her office.  She sat down at her desk, put her books down, and started reading.

About ten minutes later, she came back to the library.  June was in the room, now, in addition to the other girls.  She was laying in the window, her whole body limp, while Faye helped her drink some water.  When Leah came back in, the others glanced at her.

She put her things down and said, “It was too quiet in my office.  Wow, June, did you just stop working out?”

“My everything hurts.”  June mumbled.  “I don’t know how Kara does this every day.”

“I do more!”

“Yeah, Faye, but I know how you do it.”

“Oh!  Yeah, right!”

Cassie turned June over and started to massage her, green sparks entering her back as she went.  “There, there.  I am repairing your muscles and reinforcing the progress you’ve made today.  You’re doing very well, June.”

“I want to eat everything in the Tower.”

Leah cracked a smile and went back to reading.  She checked her notes, and saw that she had been writing about how the rebellious angels under Lucifer had set a precedent in an old Stellar Ranger law.  She considered the ramifications of that for a moment, and then erased the Stellar Ranger law section and focused instead on the Milton.

 

Leah woke up with her head pressed to her book.  A blanket had, at some point, been put over her shoulders, and it shifted down her back as she sat up.  The library was dark, save for a light that danced in a nearby aisle.

She could hear whispering come from the area of the light.  She contemplated going to turn on the light, but she elected, instead, to put her head back down and try to listen.

“No, Gemma.”  She could hear Janice say.  “I don’t know how many times I have to say no to this.  It’s not gonna get her to date you, and it’s definitely not gonna get her to like you more.”

“--But!”

“I’m not helping this stupid plan, and, as your friend, I’m telling you to not do it.  Amber’s a little abrasive but she’s nice.  If you do this, Auggie’s not gonna love you, she’s gonna hate you, and that’s all there is to it.”

Leah heard someone walking through the library, then, towards the door.  It must have been Gemini, because Leah heard Janice scurry after her and say, “Gemma!  Don’t just walk dramatically away!  We need to talk about this!”

Leah kept her head down.  She was wondering why she ever wished to be a teenager again.

 

*****

 

Advisor Grim slithered behind Layon in a hurried scurry, as Layon strode on her long, powerful legs, quickly in front of him--in fact, slightly faster than he was comfortable walking.

“Pleassssse.”  He hissed, getting close to being out of breath.  “When?  When can I--”

“I told you to wait, Grim.  And you will need to wait.”  She did not even look back at him.  “What you want to know is not something that will be healthy for you.  You shouldn’t be so eager for it.”

“I jussst....”  Grim paused, and Layon did not.  “I want to sssave him.  Or, if I cannot...I want to make it possssible for him to be sssaved, both from thissss....thissss dissastrousss courssse of action, and the fate of hissss sssstar.”

Layon paused, and sighed.  She turned around to face him.  “I will see what I can arrange, Grim.  But this time, do exactly as I ask.  Last time you were far too visible.  We can’t get caught.”

“Yesss, of coursssse.”  Grim said, and bowed.  “Thank you, Sssssupreme General.”

“Don’t thank me.”  Layon replied.  “You don’t know what you’re going to learn.  This is not a favor I am doing.”

“Then why are you helping me?”

“Because....”  Layon turned away, and started to leave.  “It’s for a reason of my own.  Make your peace, Grim, as I will, because our next meeting might be the last either of us has.”

 

**November**

 

Leah’s birthday came after her father’s, both in the month of November.

On the day of her birthday, Leah had an English Literature and a Russian Literature exam due, as well as a chem lab in her basic chemistry class.  She had been up all night, and had, just barely, managed to turn them in on time.

It was the afternoon of her birthday, and Leah was face-down on the table in a cafe, not far from the park, with Julius sitting across from her, rubbing her head.

“I feel like death.”  Leah  whined.  “I haven’t slept more than three hours in three days.  When I close my eyes, all I see is words, and half of them are in Russian.  Even things that are supposed to be in dracohen.”

“Shhhh.  It’s your birthday, sweetie.  Just enjoy your birthday dinner.  They have great cake here, I hear.”

Leah turned her head slightly so that she was looking at her boyfriend with one eye.  “They aren’t going to sing to me, are they?  Because, if they do, I’m probably going to cry.”

“Oh!  No, absolutely not.”  Julius looked a little nervous.  “I just...need to talk to the waiter for an unrelated reason.”

Leah groaned, and turned so that her head was back on the table.  Julius got up, and when he came back, Leah could smell that more coffee came with him.  She lifted her head and immediately took her mug, downing it with a nearly throat-blistering speed.  When she was finished, she looked up at her boyfriend with big, affectionate eyes.  “It has a double-shot of espresso.”

Julius gave her a bashful smile back.  “Well, I thought you could probably need it, is all.”

“I love you.”  She murmured, half to the coffee and half to Julius.  “So, how’re your final projects going?  I think we’ve just been talking about how screwed I am, not you.”

“Luckily, they’re a bit spaced around.  I’m going to be really busy this weekend, but mostly, my papers and stuff are due around exam time.”

“Oh, at least I’m lucky, there.  I have...one exam in chem, and one in physics, and that’s it.  I just need one more final paper and a few of the final reading responses and a five page conclusion to the class’ themes, and I’ll be done...you know, for a month, until the pain starts again.”

“I am definitely not going to assign all this when I’m a teacher.”

Their food came, and the coffee, and, later, a cake with absolutely no singing.

She and Julius made their way back to the park, hand-in-hand, towards the Tower, blissfully unaware of what would be there when they got there.

 

*****

 

Grim waited in a side-room, behind a tapestry, near the door, just as he had been instructed to by Layon.  He had been here long enough that he felt his muscles grow sore just from protracted stillness.

To take his mind off his cramps, and the deadly nature of his current errand--which he did not yet understand the extent of its deadliness--he wondered, for a time, what, exactly, this room had been for, when there had been more people here.  Was it someone’s quarters, then?  Someone long since gone to the safety of another land, far away from their Prince?  He could not remember.  It seemed like a lifetime ago that it was anyone save him, the Prince, and that accursed Lanessa.

He was so withdrawn into this line of thinking that he did not notice that the room was occupied until he heard Lanessa speak.  “Layon.  What is it, now?  I’m busy with the Prince.  His powers are starting to give him a measure of resistance to my abilities.”

“I apologize, my Lady.”  Grim saw Layon kneel down in front of Lanessa.  “I have news of the Stellar Rangers.”

“Oh?  And what might that be, that I don’t already know?”

“My scouts and I have learned they are still researching the Vran Sie, my Lady.”  Layon said, head still bowed.  “They haven’t found mention of you, yet, but there’s only a matter of time.”

Lanessa paused, and gave her a closer look.  “Is there a reason, Layon, that you’ve decided to tell me that here, and not in my chambers, or in the Officer’s Lounge?  There are not many ears that can be prying, but, if that worm Grim sees me enter here with you, he will undoubtedly try to listen in.”

“I apologize, my Lady.  I did not--”

“You’re usually more tactically minded than that, Layon.  What’s the real purpose of this talk, and--”  Lanessa’s eyes immediately widened, and she turned around.  “Grim just used the teleporter to reach the planet’s surface.”  She spun back around, and, within her cloak was no longer a beautiful face.  Layon saw, looking up, an intense darkness, full of glowing, blue eyes.  She stumbled back, and found a claw made of roiling grey mist and eerie blue light around her neck.

**_“Did you BETRAY me, Layon?  Do you know the COST of that?”_ **

“H-he...he will surely tell the rangers, my lady.”

All of Lanessa’s eyes narrowed, and she dropped Layon.   **_“This has not been finished, Layon.”_ **  She growled, and then vanished, leaving Layon on the ground, gasping for air.

 

*****

 

“And then he says, ‘Okay, so, I know you have other classes, but that’s no excuse for a late paper’.”  Leah rolled her eyes.  “Like he’s proud of not giving out extensions!”

“I didn’t know I’d be able to go to college, but if nothing else,”  Julius began, putting an arm around Leah’s waist, “I sure am learning a lot of what not to do as a teacher while I’m here.”

“Wait, Jules, wait, are you saying that every professor ISN’T right all the time?”  Leah faked a gasp.  “But they wrote a thesis!  That means it’s automatically correct.”

“You know, if I spent ten years writing something, I’d either think it was the tightest stuff in existence, or the worst thing I’ve ever seen, or both, and I think that’s where that comes from.”

“It’s probably both.  But I did it even without the extension!  And now for my present, I want to sleep for ten thousand years.”

“Or, at least, until your dad gets that thing to measure your magic.”

“Yes!”

“So do you...think you’ll be fighting, if you get your magic back?”

Leah groaned.  “Can we not talk about this when I’m exhausted?  It’s going to be another month before we even get that information, anyway.”

“Yeah, sure, sorry, I just...”  They had reached the fountain, and Julius paused.  “Is that...a Savage Star?”

Leah looked to where Julius was pointing, and saw a figure in a black cloak, almost serpentine in posture, with a single, glowing, red eye underneath.  She pulled away from Julius and rushed towards the figure, leaving Julius shouting behind her.

“Leah, wait, what’s--”

“Get my dad!”  She called back.

The serpentine figure recoiled, when he saw Leah approach, but seemed to relax when he saw who it was.  “Are you with the Rangerssss?”

Leah nodded.  “Yes, I’m the Senior Ranger’s Assistant.  Also, his daughter.  My boyfriend’s getting my dad.  I can help you in the meantime.”

“I am Grim, Royal Advissssor to Prinssse Desssssembren.  I need you to promissse.  Promissse you can help him.”

“We’ll do everything we can.”

“There’ssss no more time to wasssste, then.”  Grim hissed.  “Lanesssssa isssss a Vran Ssssie.  I knew she wassss a monsssster, but...she issss one of the worssst monsssterssss in the Universssse.”

“Oh.  Well, we had that as a theory, but--”

“There’ssss more.  She hassss...a human identity, a ssschoolchild.  Mossst likely, she hassss ussssed it to manipulate your rangersss asss she hassss my Prinsssse.”  Grim slithered closer to her.  “The name she ussssesss asss a human isss--”

Grim was cut off when a talon snatched him up around the neck.  Leah was knocked back by the sudden arrival of Lanessa de Vran Sie.

“Oh, Grim.”  Lanessa purred.  “It seems you’ve  **_outlived_ ** your usefulness.  In fact...I think you’ll be far, far more useful to me when you’re  **_dead_ ** .”  Her voice seemed to warp and twist at times, though it never became unpleasant--it just became markedly inhuman.

Leah got to her feet and tried to walk forward.  “Let him go!”  She shouted, knowing full well how completely outmatched she was.

Lanessa was much taller than she was normally, and was holding Grim fully off the ground by his throat, slowly squeezing the life out of him.  “Oh, Grim.  He loves you like a father, you know, even if he has difficulty admitting it to himself.  Even if he sees you as a worrisome, obstructionist paranoid.”  Lanessa’s gloved claw tightened around Grim’s neck, and his thrashing started to slow.  “He’s going to be so devastated that you’ve died in such an unfortunate misunderstanding.  Oh, if only you’d just  **_known_ ** your  **_place_ ** , perhaps I wouldn’t have had to kill you like this.”

Leah grabbed Lanessa’s arm and tried to pull it down, though it did not budge under Leah’s grip.  She turned to Leah, now, acknowledging her for the first time.  Leah looked into her cloak, and saw two glowing, blue eyes staring down at her.  And then three.  And then a dozen.  She recoiled at that, and took an involuntary step back, releasing Lanessa’s arm.

“Oh, yes, Leah.  Be afraid.  Be terrified.”  Lanessa said with a grin that Leah could feel but not see.  “You don’t need to worry about this  **_worm_ ** . Well, not right now, anyway, and it’s not as though you can save him.”

“Please put down the advisor and step away from my daughter.”

Relief washed over Leah like a wave when she heard her father’s face.  She stood and ran over to him.  He was standing close to Lanessa, with a long, thin, lavender sword in his hand.  “Dad, be careful, she’s--”

“Yes, dear.  I know.  Stay behind me.”

Leah felt very useless as she followed her father’s orders and moved to stand behind him. 

“I wasn’t keeping your daughter, Novias.”  Lanessa rolled all of her eyes.  “I don’t  **_care_ ** about her.  I just care about tying up this loose end.  It’s kind of amusing, really--if I had been just a moment later, I would have had to  **_obliterate_ ** her, too!  Isn’t that lucky?  You don’t  **_have_ ** to lose two family members in  **_utter annihilation_ ** .”

“Let the advisor go.”  Leah’s father tightened the grip of his sword.  “You are in Stellar Ranger territory, and I shan’t let anything happen to a royal guest on my doorstep.”

“Oh, shan’t you?  You can’t stop me, Novias, but it’s  **_cute_ ** that you  **_think_ ** you can.  Now, stand back before I’m forced to make your dear daughter  **_orphaned_ ** .”

Novias took a step forward, his sword still raised.  “Drop him.  Now.  I will give no other warn--”

Lanessa raised a hand and pressed it against Grim’s body.  There was a bright blue glow, and Grim started to wriggle and thrash.  Mr. Vember’s eyes widened, and he turned and grabbed Leah, dropping his sword in the process.

There was a sudden, bright, blue glow, and for a few moments, that’s all Leah knew.

 

*****

 

Layon got to her feet, and waited.  She dared not leave the room, as she knew that, if Lanessa was made to look for her, her punishment would be even more severe than it would otherwise be.

She was hoping that she would just be killed.

A distressingly small amount of time later, Lady Lanessa de Vran Sie returned to the room.  Her hood was down, and she was in her typical human guise.  She was also smiling.

This worried Layon more than if she had still been angry.  She immediately dropped to her knees.

“What?  Oh, Layon, please!  Rise!”  Lanessa grinned wider.  “I’m not angry anymore, I finally realized what you did.  Thank you for setting this up, this will work very nicely.”

“I...don’t understand.”  Layon said as she stood.

“If Grim had been a second faster, mind you, I would be flaying you alive right now, but!  He didn’t tell them my human guise, and they’ll never figure it out on their own--most of them literally can’t, thanks to me--and thus my primary source of information and access to the Rangers is secured.  His death, however, is going to be supremely valuable, thank you for getting him in a position where I could leverage it to my advantage.”

“I...”  Layon bowed her head.  “Forgive me, my lady.  I don’t follow your logic.”

“Oh, I’m going to blame Grim’s death on an...accident of June’s.”  Lanessa started to move about the room.  “Do make sure your generals are prepared, yes?  If this goes as I’ve predicted it will, there’ll be need for all of you to fight very shortly.”

“I--Yes, of course, my Lady.”  Layon looked to her leader.  “Is there anything else?”

“Oh, yes. thank you for reminding me.”  Lanessa stopped, and turned to Layon.  “Welcome an opportunity as it was, I used a  **_bit_ ** too much energy.  Bring me a snack, will you?  Ten of your strongest rank and file for me to drain dry.”

Layon’s blood ran cold.  “My...Lady, are you certain that’s wise?”

Lanessa’s expression went from gleeful to cold in an instant.  “Are you certain it’s  **_wise_ ** to  **_question_ ** me after what you’ve done, today, Layon?”

“I, no my Lady, but...”

“Allow me to be  **_perfectly_ ** clear, Layon.  If you do not provide me with your rank and file to devour, I will find your  **_precious_ ** Shryk, and I will  **_devour_ ** her.  I will  **_claim_ ** her debt to me, and I will  **_consume_ ** her essence until there is nothing left.  Did you think you would not be punished, just because I can  **_use_ ** your  **_betrayal_ ** ?  Gather your soldiers to be sacrificed, or lose your lover, Layon.  The choice is yours.  You have an hour.”

Lanessa vanished, then, and Layon stared after her with a broken, wounded expression.  She gathered her strength, and with renewed, grim purpose, she left the meeting room to find her barracks, and gather ten soldiers for her mistress to consume.

Someday, she told herself, death would free her from this torment, but today, her soldiers had to be the fortunate ones.

 

******

 

Leah became aware of her father’s voice, as the ringing in her ears stopped and the spots disappeared from her vision.

“Leah!  Leah, dear, are you alright?”

Leah gave a nod, and pulled herself to her feet.  She had been on grass, and now she was standing.  She saw that she was across the park, in the direction behind where Lanessa had been facing.  She also saw that, in the direction Lanessa had been facing, the park was simply gone.

There was a smoking, blasted expanse, flat and devoid of life, reaching all the way to the stone fence around the park.  No trees, no grass, no benches, and no paths.  Just ashes and glass and emptiness.  One corner of the fountain had been obliterated by the blast, and cool, clear water was leaking onto the blasted ruin and producing a large amount of steam.

“It’s like June.”  Leah murmurred.

Her father nodded.  “Yes, I’m very much afraid that it is.  Come inside, child.  We need to talk to the girls immediately.  I’m afraid...this is just the beginning of a very dark time for us all.”

Leah looked at the devastation, and felt something inside her ache.  She looked at where Grim had been, but whatever ashes he had left behind were indistinguishable from the ashes of the park.

December, and the key to seeing if maybe her powers could be safely unlocked, could not come fast enough.


	17. Episode 17:  The Thrown Gauntlet

“M-my love?”  Lanessa de Vran Sie said with a practiced stutter.  She had tears in her eyes.  She had never felt grief except in the light she had drained from others.  It was never a facet of light she had felt would be terribly useful for her, preferring instead things like hunger and lust and happiness and rage and pride.  However, over the centuries she had crafted an almost perfect facsimile of grief, and that was the mask she wore as she entered Prince Decembren’s room.

Hal looked up at Lanessa as she entered, putting down his phone and pausing a half-finished message to Jordy.  “Lanessa?  What’s wrong, has something happened?”

“It’s...it’s terrible, my love.  A horrific tragedy has befallen us.”  Lanessa sniffled, and wiped her tears away.  “Grim went to the Stellar Rangers without your permission, my Prince.  I do not know why--perhaps to make a deal without your knowing.  Undoubtedly, he had your best interests in heart.  He...he always did.”

Hal’s face fell, and his stomach twisted into a knot.  “Is...has something happened to Grim?”

“I...it must have been a grave accident, my love.  Perhaps the stress of the siege has gotten to her, or perhaps...perhaps he was trying to retrieve her for you and upset her but...but...”  Lanessa threw herself into Hal’s arms.  “Oh, Hal, it’s simply dreadful.  June has...has unleashed the dread power of her heart and Grim, he was...he was an unfortunate bystander.  I arrived just in time to watch the tragedy...I could not save him.  I am so, so very sorry.”

Hal went very, very still.  “Grim is...dead?”

“Yes, my lord.  I have seen it myself.”

“...Prepare the teleporter.”  Hal pulled away from Lanessa and moved to his armor stand.  He immediately started to put on his Crimson Knight armor.

“My prince, you’re not--”

“I am going to get to the bottom of this, Lanessa.”  Hal snarled.  The temperature in the room increased greatly.  His bed, though heatproof, started to smolder.  “I am going to ask the truth of the matter, and, if necessary....I will get my revenge.  I have been too lenient, it seems, and have allowed this...this...”  He turned to her as he pulled his cuirass on.  “Atrocity to occur.  I will not allow my friend to have died in vain.”

“I...do be cautious, my Prince.  I do not want to lose you in vain, as well.”

“You shouldn’t be worried about me, my love.”  Hal pulled on his greaves.  “You should be worried about June, if she cannot give me a satisfactory answer.”

 

*****

 

June Hespia felt like her whole body had broken.  She was laying on the floor of the library, her head in Faye’s lap, while Faye broke off pieces of a turkey sandwich and fed them to her.

June had spent the entirety of the past three months training.  She had done very little aside from working out, both physically and magically, until her brain ached and her body yelled at her to stop.

“Thank you.”  June said after swallowing another piece of sandwich.

“You’re welcome!  I like taking care of you.  And you’re working so hard!”

“Ugggggh.  I’m still not in as good shape as anyone else.”

“It takes time!  Even with my powers, I didn’t become a girl-lifter overnight!”  Faye offered her another piece of sandwich.  “And you’re also doing magic training!  That’s stressful, too!  You should take a break.”

“Yeah, I guess.  I just want my plan to work, and it’s not going to work unless I can stand up to Layon.”

Faye’s smile started to fade at that, but June could see it being forced back into existence.  “Are you...Junie, are you sure you still wanna do that plan?  It’s really, really dangerous, especially to you!”

“Yeah, I know.  But I think it’s the best way.  It’s the only way we can get rid of them and--”

June was interrupted when the whole tower shook.

“Oh no!  That sounded like...like an explosion.”  Faye had instinctively covered June’s body with her own.

June gently pushed her out of the way and stood up, her whole body aching as she did so.  “That was close.  Really, really close.”

Faye helped June get up, and let her rest against her.  June felt something off in the air, something wrong.  It was not as clear as the feeling of the Hollow Hearts, nor the burning of the Savage Stars.  It reminded her of something else.

“It feels like..like the Puppetrix did.”  June shuddered.  “Something really bad just happened.  Can you take me to the entry room?”

Faye nodded.  “Sure!”  She scooped her girlfriend up, and ran off.

 

*****

 

Avril’s sword slashed out at Senine, who batted it away with the head of her hammer.  The force of the blow was so strong that she was knocked off balance and had to take a moment to regain her bearings.

“Oh, come on, Lady D'artagnan.  Look at my twig arms!  I can’t have hit you that hard.”  Senine said with a huge grin.

“You absolutely could have.”  Avril got back into position and got her sword ready.  “And we both are fully aware of that.  Also I am positive you have used that nickname before.”

“Well, they can’t all be original.”  Senine lifted her hammer, and slammed it down at Avril.  Avril dodged to the side, and rushed with a wide slash.  Senine hopped into the air to avoid it, lightening her gravity.  The moment she was above Avril, Senine greatly increased her gravity, sending her down in a kick aimed right at Avril.

The other girl managed to dodge out of the way, but she was still unstead.  Senine swiped her hammer to the left and right, and managed to get Avril to fall back, onto her rear.

Avril sighed.  “Are you done proving your combat superiority?”

“Yeah, I think so.  Though, honestly, I’m only better at this ‘cause I’m using magic and you’re not.”

“I want to improve swordwork, more than magic.”  Avril stood up, which was easier as she felt Senine reduce her personal gravity.  “Plus, I thought I would take it easier on you.”

Senine’s grin grew.  “Holy shit, did you just joke?  Was that finally a joke from Avril Acosta-Garza, the girl with no sense of humor?  What’s next, a laugh?”

“You said my name.”  Avril smiled slightly.  “If I had known I needed to tell a joke to banish the nicknames, I would’ve done it months ago.”

“Okay, that wasn’t a joke, even if it sounded like one, so I know you’re at least not possessed.”

“Perish the--”  The entire tower rumbled, then.

“...What the fuck was that?”

Avril banished her sword, but she was ready to summon it again at a moment’s notice.  “We should find out.”

 

*****

 

Janice sighed, and sat at the edge of the bed that Gemini was currently asleep in.  She looked up at Cassie.  “So, this is normal?  She just passes out sometimes?”

“Yes, though, it’s very sweet of you to come running like that.”  Cassie sat next to Janice and patted her sister.  “With how much you’ve hung out, I’m surprised this is the first time you’ve seen her called to do her grim task.”

“It’s never come up.”  Janice shrugged.  “I guess it doesn’t happen all that often?”

“It seemed like it happened constantly, when she first had her powers manifest.”  Cassie got a slight, wry smile.  “You know, she was very, very upset the first few times.  I imagine...it was rather formative on her, having to take care of the dead.  Of course, I’m talking like this was a long time ago, and not four years.”

“That’s, like, over a quarter of our life.”  Janice said, looking back at Gemini.  “I guess when my powers came in, it was pretty easy?  I just knocked some plants off the shelf and ruined the gym.”

Cassie nodded, and then, the whole tower shook.  Cassie looked around with a worried expression, and then looked back to Gemini.

“What the heck was that?”  Janice was now standing.

“I’m not certain.  However...I imagine Gemini will wake up soon and tell us all about it.”

A few moments later, Gemini’s eyes did open, and she sat up with a start.  “We need to head down to the surface.  Now.  Lanessa just...just blew up the Prince’s advisor and about a quarter of the park.”

 

*****

 

“Auggie.

“Like, Auggie.  Nap time is like, over.

“Auggie you’re, like, crushing me.

“Like, wake up!  There was, like, an explosion!

“Auggie!

“Five more minutes.”

“Like, NOW.”

 

*****

 

All of the girls reached the entry room at about the same time, with Octavian--who had been on the roof--reaching there a moment later.  Julius was already there, looking extremely nervous and very startled.  Before they could actually leave the Tower--but not before the Rangers had all summoned their weapons--Leah and Mr. Vember came back up.

“Girls, good.  You are here.”  Mr. Vember said.

Julius rushed over to Leah, and she gave him a big hug.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Vember?”  June asked.  “Gemini said something about Advisor Grim getting killed by Lanessa?”

“That is, unfortunately, correct, Ms. Hespia.”  Mr. Vember sighed.  “We have lost a potential ally, today, and seen the destructive power our enemy possesses.”

“That’s not everything, though.”  Leah said, pulling away from a reluctant-to-let-go Julius.  “He told me two things before he was killed.  One, that Lanessa is definitely a Vran Sie, if her having a whole bunch of eyes and destroying a lot of the park with one attack isn’t enough proof.  And two, that’s she’s been manipulating and keeping contact with you girls, through a human persona.  He was killed before he could tell me that person’s identity, though.”

Janice’s eyes lit up.  “Soooo...what you’re saying is, we need to do some serious sleuthing and find out who she is!  Then we can set up traps, or something, or at least cut her out of our social stuff.”

“Yes, Miss Airie, that is correct.”  Mr. Vember looked to all of them.  “This also means I will be immediately requesting support from Headquarters.  You girls are not to engage the Vran Sie unless absolutely necessary--I will call for experts in the field to arrive and give us the backup we sorely deserve.  They should give us the strength we need to defeat the Vran Sie.  Unfortunately...we will require caution while they arrive--I don’t imagine them arriving for at least a week, perhaps longer.”

“Wait, so...”  Auggie looked hopeful.  “We’re finally getting help?”

Mr. Vember nodded. “Yes, Miss Levey, against the Vran Sie the Stellar Rangers will mobilize every asset the can to prevent their success.”

“So...does this mean Lanessa and the Prince are through?”  June asked.  “Because she just killed his last subject.”

“On that front, Miss Hespia, I am unsure.”

“I don’t think so.”  Leah said.  “She was upset, yeah, but not as upset as you’d think.”

The Tower rumbled again.  Mr. Vember’s eyes widened in alarm, and he removed a tablet from his jacket.  “Oh.  I believe I know why Lanessa was so cavalier about her murder.”  The tower shook again.

“What is it, Mr. Vember?”  June asked.  She could feel the Penumbra inside of her, aching for release.  “Do you need us to do something?”

“Prince Decembren has taken a few potshots at the Tower.  He seems angry, though not so angry to put any force behind the attack.  We are not taking damage, but I believe he wishes to...talk.”  Mr. Vember summoned his sword.  “All of you, remain here.  Do not come down.  I will deal with the Prince.”

“Wait, won’t you get in trouble?”  Senine asked.  “I can handle Hal.”

“No, not with him attacking the base.  I will be right back.”  Mr. Vember smiled, and then vanished.

“Okay, so.”  Senine stood on the dais and looked to the others.  “If he takes too long, or if Gemini feels his death, we’re backing him the fuck up.”

 

*****

 

Novias was down in the fountain area immediately, sword in hand.

Hal stood before him, in his full set of Crimson Armor.  His left hand glowed with a bright white ball of plasma, and his large, heavy sword was in his right.  Mr. Vember could feel his glare through the helmet as tangibly as he could feel the almost unbearable wave of heat coming off of him.

“Prince Decembren, I must ask that you cease your hostilities at once.”

Hal took a step forward.  “What happened to Grim?  Why did June kill him?  I demand to know answers this instant.”

Mr. Vember nodded. “Of course.  June did not kill your Advisor.  Lady Lanessa did.”

Hal snorted.  The ground under his feet glowed with heat.  “Lady Lanessa obliterated the park, too, then?  Is this another of your lies about her status as a Vran Sie?”

“It is not a lie, and yes, she did, as she is a Vran Sie.  She was responsible and I shan’t have you attacking my charges any more.”

Hal growled.  His left hand glowed brighter.  “Bring me June.  She should face the consequences for what she has done.”

“Absolutely not.  She has done nothing, Prince.”

“Nothing?”  Hal said, and then shouted, “Nothing?!  She is leaving me to die, Vember.  She has hid away like a coward and, in that regard, I suppose she has done nothing!  And now...now she’s murdered my...the only person who stood by me, no matter what, and for what?  To frame my Lady for it?  To spread her poisonous rumor further?”

“She tried all she could, Prince.  However, it is you who have pushed her to do this when she is not comfortable doing so.  It is you who hired mercenaries to scare her into doing this.”  Mr. Vember lowered his sword and gestured for him to approach.  “Prince Decembren, allow me to use my powers to dispel her control over you.  Let us end this without violence and while the casualty level is still so low.”

Prince Decembren listened for a moment, and he was nearly swayed.  However, the control of a grandchild of Despair was not so easily thrown, and his moment of confusion turned into an angry glare.  “Bring forth June, Sir Vember.  I won’t ask again.  I will rip this tower apart to find her if necessary.”

Mr. Vember sighed.  “Very well, then.”  As he said that, Mr. Vember vanished.

Prince Decembren raised his hand to fire on the Tower, again, assuming that Mr. Vember had retreated back like his pupils had.  He was not expecting the slash to his back, one that cut through his armor just slightly and nicked his back.  Hal jumped in surprise, and his shot went wide as he turned, leading with his sword.

Mr. Vember expertly backed away from the heavy strike, and responded with a forward thrust that Hal only barely managed to parry.  He attempted to cloud Hal’s mind or to muddy his perceptions, but, unfortunately, while the burning power flooding him was not enough to root out Lanessa’s ingrained corruption, it was more than enough to burn away that.

Hal swiped his sword in several wide, practiced swings.  Novias dodged away, not trusting himself to parry such a strong blow, and countered with another deft, sharp strike, which grazed the Prince’s helmet and put a sizable gash in the side of it.

The Prince screamed with rage, and as he did so, a rather large explosion of plasma flared all around him.  Mr. Vember was forced back, and suffered heavy burns in spots all over his body.

“You’re skilled, Sir Vember, but with my heart flaring this hot, then you don’t have the force to finish this fight.”  The Prince stepped forward, the heat around him only increasing.  “I will get revenge for Grim, and I will heal my star.”

He lifted his hand, and heat began to burn around it.  Mr. Vember prepared to teleport away.

Before he could, however, Hal turned very suddenly, and slashed out into a crusher ball that had almost hit his back.  His sword twisted and shattered, and he dropped it, summoning it back in his other hand.

The Stellar Rangers were here, with Senine at the head.  “That’s enough, Hal.”

Hal’s eyes went right to June.  “How could you do it, June?  How could you kill him?”

“I didn’t.  But if that’s what you believe...”  June looked to her friends, and before they could stop her, she stepped forward, between them and Hal.  Senine put her arm on her shoulder.

“If you’re thinking of self-sacrifice, I’m going to have to veto that as your senior.”

“No, I’m not.”  June locked eyes with Hal.  “I challenge you, and the Savage Stars, to a duel.  Us versus you and your officers.  With no Penumbra.  If you win...If you win I’ll go with you and do whatever you want.  Put energy in your star or be executed for Grim, whatever.”

The Stellar Rangers immediately burst into noise.

“No, well, fuck that, June.”  Senine said.

“Junie, no, you can’t!” Faye said, rushing up to June.

“I don’t...I don’t think we’re ready.”  Avril muttered.

“And if you win, Dark Star?”  Hal called.

“If we win, you, and the Savage Stars...you have to leave us alone.  Forever.  You and everyone affiliated with us have to give up on hurting and hunting us.”  June watched him the entire time.  Her confident tone hid the fact that she was both exhausted and also terrified that, once again, she would get a ball of plasma thrown at her.

“...The day after tomorrow.”  Hal said.  “There is an abandoned hospital downtown with a sizable courtyard.  We will meet there at noon.”  Hal banished his sword, and turned his heat down as much as possible.  He stepped forward with his hand extended.  “Do we have a deal?”

“Girls, no.”  Mr. Vember stepped forward.  “You should not have to do this.”

Senine looked down at June, got a half smile, and then walked past her, to Hal.  She took his hand.  “As the person on the team who can actually accept something like that, yes.  We accept--but I have a condition.  In the fight?  You’re mine, Hal.  Me and you.”

Hal looked at the hand, and then shook it.  “See you then.”  He vanished in a silver and red flash of light, leaving the Stellar Rangers with each other.

 

*****

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie, while she was alone, stood in front of her wall of mirrors.  “Oracle.  Your mistress wants a word.”

A full-length mirror’s glass shook and rippled like a pond’s surface.  A figure appeared in it, a tall, broad, female figure in a full, furry cloak.  She had a human-ish face, covered in short--but thick--white fur, with a nose like a wolf’s.  Her mouth was full of sharp teeth--a carnivore’s mouth, to be sure.  She had a set of long, curved horns, like a ram’s, save that they branched into two points at the end.  She had a long, fuzzy, curly mane, full of blue hair, roughly the color of Blue Stars of Mourning.  Her eyes were large, and a very dark grey color.  “My lady calls for her Oracle, and she responds dutifully.  How may she aid you, my mistress?  Has the portent I gave the prince served you well?”

“It has.  I have an...unpleasant task for you, but I trust that my most loyal won’t shy from it, will she?”

The Oracle gave Lanessa a toothy grin.  “Indeed not, my lady.  Your Oracle is but a humble servant of you and your hallowed grandmother, as always.  Ask of her anything you wish.”

“Oracle, I need you to turn yourself in.  I need you to advise the court on exactly where you can find me, and I want you to lead them while they think they have you bound, right here, to Earth.”

“Of course, my lady.  Is there anything else?”

“I’d like you to live, my Oracle.  There is still a Princess, yes?  One who’s attuned to the Baton?  She hasn’t died in the past few years, has she?”

“Indeed not, my mistress.  There exists one such as she, Shivvra.  Undoubtedly, she would wish to come with your humble servant and personally see to your death, and the Inquisition’s blasphemous work.”  The Oracle bowed her head.  “Of course, your devoted slave is ecstatic that you value her enough to wish her safety, my lady.  She humbly offers her thanks, meager a creature as she is, to my lady.”

“Oh, Oracle, you’re very welcome.  I’m so very fond of you.  Well, as fond as someone like me can be, I suppose.  Could you also tell her that her wayward fiance is here?  And that he has been...exceptionally unfaithful?”

“Absolutely, my mistress.  Hallowed be your stolen and corrupted light.”

“Thank you.  Hopefully, this won’t be necessary.  Most likely, I will meet you on the way, and will give you the satisfaction of watching me destroy your captors and oppressors, and give you a place at my side, as you rightfully deserve, as I take my place as Grandmother’s most worthy successor.”  Lanessa paused.  “However, I have used the art of the oracle--none so gifted as you, of course--and seen the possibility--though nigh-insignificant--of failure.”

The Oracle gasped.  “Surely, my lady, this is not to be.”

“It is unlikely to be, to be certain.  But it is possible, and if it happens...well.  I don’t want them to be nearly as safe as they believe my loss will make them.  That is all, my Oracle.  You have your task.  Go and raise the Kingdom of Frost.  Start them on the long, slow path from the edges of the Universe with the promise of my death.  Let us give unto them all the death they desire, and more.”

 

*****

 

“June, what the fuck was that?”  Auggie asked.  “What the...They’re going to kill us!  We’re going to lose, and--”

“We’re going to win.”  June said.  “I promise, we’re going to win.  We’ve been working on this for three months.  We all know what to do, and what our game plan is.”

“But, like...what if they don’t do what we think they will?”  Amber was pacing near Auggie.  “Like, there’s so many ways, like, that this can go badly!”

“I know, guys, trust me!”  June stood at the head of the table.  “I know this can go bad.  I know how much is riding on it, but I--”

“Junie, you’ll die if we lose!”  Faye whimpered from her spot next to her.  “You’ll get executed or you’ll make the ship explode!”

“We won’t lose.”

“I agree.”  Octavian said, standing tall, a winning smile on his face, his foot up on the table.  “Of course we won’t lose!  We’ve been preparing for this, after all!  And, while we don’t know all of the tricks they can pull, and while we’ve not fought them since Senine nearly died, we’ve been practicing and improving the entire time!”

“That means little if they’ve been practicing as well.”  Avril said from her place against the wall.

“Wow, yeah.”  Senine was resting in the windowsill, with one foot pulled up against the wall.  “Raincloud has a good point!  Guess we’d better stay in this goddamn tower for another three months.”

Avril glared at her.  “It’s better than dying.”

“Guys!  Look!”  June stepped onto the table.  “I know this is scary.  It scares me.  We’ve been training, and we’ve been working, and we don’t know for sure if it’ll work.  But we’re a team.  And you don’t need me!  You don’t need the Penumbra.  You’re all great and you’re all strong--remember the Ranger Games?  It literally all rested on who won the final match!  That’s incredible.  And even with me knocking everyone else out in the first round, the fight was still so close!  That’s amazing!  And it wasn’t just the Shining Stars that did it.  You’re all so great at this, and we’re doing so well.  We can do it.  I believe in us.  As a team, and as friends.”

“Oh, wow, power of friendship!”  Gemini snarked.

“Shush.  It’s a good speech and you know it.”  Cassie nudged her twin in the side.

“We’re going to beat Hal, and we’re going to beat the Savage Stars, and, heck, we’re going to beat Lanessa, too.”  June looked at her friends and smiled.  “We’re going to do great, I just know it.”

Auggie sighed.  “Okay, Junie, but you can’t ever be flustered when we call you the leader after that super leadery speech.”

“...Like...”  Amber paused, and breathed a deep breath.  “Yeah, sure, like...yeah.”

“I’m with you, Junie.”  Faye said, looking up at June with big eyes.  “Forever.”

“If you get taken, how’re we going to get married?”  Gemini said.  

“She means she’s on board.  As am I.”  Cassie said as she rolled her eyes.

“Well, heck, if the other Research Buddies are in.”  Janice put down the book she had been reading--a yearbook for their school.  “I’m a bit nervous.  I haven’t been in...you know, a big fight like this before.  Not since the Puppetrix.”

Avril pushed off the wall.  She walked over to June and knelt down.  “I’m sorry for doubting, June.  You’ve been nothing but a friend to me.  If you think this is the best way, I’ll trust you.”

Senine walked over to the table and sat on the edge of it.  “Hold on a sec, Gawain.  Shouldn’t you be a little more apologetic?”

Avril glared at her again.

“Anyway, yeah, I’m with you.  But remember, Hal’s mine.”

“Of course!”  Octy said, his foot still on the table.  “My bow is also at your service, June, though there was never any question of it.”

“Okay.”  June smiled, and tried to stop from crying.  She failed.  “Okay, good.”  She wiped the tears from her eyes.  “Let’s go do some drills, but we shouldn’t train too hard.  We want to be well rested for the fight.”

 

*****

 

“Alright, girls, phase one!”  Senine paced in front of the assembled line of junior rangers (and Octy).  “We’re going to start by testing our theories again.  Amber, get up here.”

Amber stepped up next to Senine.  She nodded to the senior ranger.

“Everyone summon your weapons.”  Senine summoned her hammer as she walked into the line with the rest.  All of their weapons summoned, Amber lifted her hand and pulled.

Everyone save Janice, Octavian, and Senine was pulled slightly forward.

“I still don’t get it.  Obsidian has iron in it.”  Janice looked down at her mace.

“It’s not metal, magically.”  Cassie replied.  “I’ve done some research and it’s come up before, apparently.”

“Okay!”  Senine jogged back up to in front of the line, and Amber returned to it.  “Jan and Octy, get up here.”

They did as they were told.  Senine remained with them.

“Alright, remember to be fast, Octy.  Just not with Cassie.”

Cassie immediately blushed and gave Senine a flustered look.

Janice lifted her leg, and then stomped down.  The entire training room started to shake.  Almost immediately, even slightly before Janice’s leg had come back down, Octy raised his hands, and lifted everyone up on a quick air current.  He let them down a moment later, just as the rumbling stopped.

“Nice!  Okay.  Layon’s being taken care of by June--right June?”

June nodded.

“Okay, you need to go through the Layon course, again?”

June looked over at Faye, and then at Senine.  “No, I don’t think I’m up for getting attacked by three Fayes at the moment.  Plus, I’m already exhausted from working out, earlier.”

“Oh!”  Janice looked over to June.  “By the way, I got that floorplan to your email, Junie.”

“Thanks!  I’ll check it out when we’re done.”

Senine cleared her throat.  “Okay, in that case, we’re going to go through the Jakil or Jikal or whatever drill, and then the Wreqluze drill.”

As she said that, several dozen training dummies popped into being, the same sort Avril had been training with, and also, a target appeared in the air, which seemed to randomly change places every few seconds.

“Then, we’re going to do a couple combined drills.  Nothing too much because June’s right, we don’t want to wear ourselves out so we’re hurting at the fight.  Green Thumb can repair a lot but there’s no need to overwork her.”  Senine paced in front of the assembled rangers.  “I’m gonna keep tabs on everything.  Just stay calm and you’ll all be fine, both here and in the fight.  Okay, let’s get started.”

 

*****

 

Avril was brooding.  There was no other word, nor any excuse for it.  She was sitting on the roof, staring at the city, and sulking.

Her phone buzzed, and she checked it.  The message was simple, but it made her heart brighten nonetheless.  It was from Lynneth, and it was a single ‘<3’.

“I miss you.”  She typed back.  “I’m sorry this trip has gone on so long.”

“No, it’s fine!  Clubs like the Astronomy Club will look great on your college transcript.

“I can wait a bit longer, but you’d better clear your schedule for when you get back, because I am going to smooch you for three days straight.  Or three days gay, that’s a bit more appropriate.

“BTW, speaking of the trip, do you have any cool pictures of the meteor showers, yet?”

Avril took a deep breath.  She was glad that lying was so much easier on the phone.  “No, not yet.  It’s all too blurry on my phone.

“Besides, you’re the only star I want to see.”  As soon as she had sent it, Avril kicked herself.

Rather than get berated for a corny message, however, she got back, “Aw, you’re so sweet <3” from Lynneth.

“Are you texting the devil?”  Senine asked from the door to the roof.  Avril jumped, and nearly dropped her phone off the Tower.

“No, I’m texting my girlfriend.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.”  Senine walked across, and sat on a bench near Avril.  “Anyway, I’m not here to start that again.  I just want to talk about the duel.”

Avril put her phone away.  “I’m not sure what there is to talk about.  I’m fighting.  We’re all fighting.”

“You want to run away.”

Avril paused, and then nodded.  “Yes, I do.  The last fight we were in, both of our teams almost died.”

“Yeah, that’s true, but we weren’t as prepared as we are now.”  Senine considered that for a moment.  “Of course, I don’t think that’s what you’re worried about.”

“As strong as you are, as strong as we might be, even when we won.”  Avril looked at Senine, now.  “We almost lost you.  I’m not sure...I could take losing one of us.  You saw the burns Hal alone put on Mr. Vember.  How can you stand up to it?  Furthermore, we have never fought more than one Savage Star, and now we’re fighting all of them at once.”

“They’re going to team up in ways we haven’t anticipated.”  Senine nodded.  “Yeah, for sure.  But we’re still going to win, and we’re still going to do it without losing anyone.”

“You count as someone.”

Senine grinned.  “Aw, thanks!  A real Sesame Street sentiment.  I was counting me.  Hal’s tough, but he fights like a Stellar Sword--some skill, a lot of power.  Granted, he’s stronger than any of the Stellar Swords, but I’m also stronger than I was, then.  I can take him.  And yeah, sure, they’re going to have things we haven’t seen.  But we have things they haven’t seen.  And they’ve never fought all of us at once, either.”

“...I wish I could be as confident as you or June.”

Senine let out a bark of laughter.  “You think June’s confident?  Ha!  June’s not confident, sweetie.”

“But...”

“She’s as confident as we are in her.  As long as we support her, she’ll be able to keep going and do this.  But we need to keep supporting her, or she’s going to crumble.”

“...Oh.”  Avril looked at her lap.  “I’ve done her a great disservice, then.”

“Naw.”  Senine put her hand on Avril’s knee.  “You’re scared.  Everyone’s scared except me, and that’s just because I have a deathwish.  And even then...”  Senine pulled away, and started for the door.  “I don’t want them to die, either.  So I guess I’m going to have to fight even harder than normal.  It’s the best we can do, Nereid.”

Avril watched Senine go.  She pulled out her phone again, saw that she had more replies from Lynneth, and put her phone back in her pocket without responding to them.

 

*****

 

A few hours later, June wandered through the tower, with her tablet in hand.  She was scrolling through the floorplan of Our Lady of Mercy, the abandoned hospital they were to fight in, and making mental notes about the fight, as well as contingencies for when those plans inevitably failed.

She passed Mr. Vember’s open door, and heard him call to her.  “Ms. Hespia, can you please come in a moment?”

June put away her tablet and stepped inside.  “Sure, Mr. Vember, what’s--”

Mr. Vember had the undeniable red eyes of someone who had been crying a very large amount.  He sat as his desk with a slouch that was unfamiliar to June in him.  When he looked up at her, June saw an expression of fear and regret.

“I am so, so sorry, June.”  Mr. Vember said through what June could tell were barely restrained tears.  “I am so sorry I cannot protect you.  If I was a younger man...perhaps I could have felled the Prince.  Perhaps I could have stood for you rather than be laid low by raw strength.  Perhaps I could have ended this before the toll it has taken effected you.”

June felt like crying, now, too.  “It’s not your fault, Mr. Vember.”

“I disagree.  Laws are not more important than lives.  I would like to stand with you, at your duel.  I should...make some sort of recompense for abiding this cowardly law for so long.”

She shook her head.  “No, it’s fine.  We can do it.  I know we can.”

“I insist, I...”

June wiped her eyes.  “Mr. Vember, you’ve helped me a lot, since I’ve come here.  You tried to chase Hal off, today.  You’re not a coward in my eyes.  Not at all.  Plus, if you come along, they could say we broke our word, and they’d just take me.”

“If you lose, you know none of us will abide you being held or executed.”

June laughed through the tears she could not stop.  “Yeah, yeah, I know.  I’m sort of counting on being rescued.  That, or...or exploding.  Taking them all out at once.  Maybe even Lanessa.”

“...You are an exceptional young woman, June.”  Mr. Vember smiled at her.  At some point, he had also started to cry again.  “If you are captured, I swear to you, I will lead the charge myself, assuming Miss Burrey does not beat me to the punch.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be hard to avoid that.  But we won’t need it.”  June stood up.  “I need to do more planning.  I’m...actually really nervous, about fighting Layon.  I’ve only barely won any of the Layon drills I’ve actually won.  Mostly it’s just made me have more running stamina, and I know I can’t outrun her if she corners me, or in a dead sprint.”

“Well, Miss Hespia, I have a bit of advice, though I do not know how much it might help.”

“Yeah?”

Mr. Vember nodded.  “Yes.  Though lions are large cats, they are still cats.  I do not know how alien lion people’s psychology measures to a housecat, but, the Savage Stars seem to not only be looking for victory, but, an interesting fight.  I think...you girls are more than capable of giving an interesting fight, and I also believe that Layon will think you substantially even more interesting prey than even she has realized.”

 

*****

 

Prince Decembren pushed into the Officer’s Lounge of the Savage Stars.  He saw all of the generals here, crowded around Layon for some reason.  Layon had her hand on Shryk’s shell, and the egg-shaped shell seemed to be nudging comfortingly into her.

“Layon, there has been...an incident, and I require your generals.”

Layon immediately stood, only to turn around and kneel.  The other generals took their places around the room and similarly deferred to the Prince.  “Yes, my Prince?  What do you need of us?”

“Stellar Ranger Dark Star has, by accident, malice, or scheme, killed Grim.  She has challenged us to a duel.”  Prince Decembren looked over the generals and said, “As you were not present at said duel’s presentation, I will not require any of you to fight with me if you do not wish to.  It’s not your fight.”

“We never shirk a fight, my Prince.”  Layon said, but turned to her generals, anyway.  “What say you, my fellow monsters?  Will we stand with Prince Decembren?”

“Aye, I suppose.”  Moal said with a friendly smile.  “It’s just the junior rangers, again, I wager, nothing we can’t handle.”

“Indeed.”  Shryk said, floating next to Layon.  “But even if it were a challenge, none of us would shrink from it.”

“Hmph, finally!”  Jakil said from his chair.  “A proper duel, with a proper noble.  I’ve been wanting something beautiful this entire time, especially after my rather plain defeat.”

“Oh, dear.”  Wreqluze said, and produced a large mug of hot chocolate and blood.  “I do hope we aren’t underestimating them, that would be terribly rude.”

Prince Decembren smiled at the Savage Stars.  He put a hand on Layon’s shoulder.  “Thank you.  All of you.  I am going to be holding a funeral service for Grim, regardless of whether we succeed or not.  I would be honored if you and your soldiers could be there to help me give him proper respects.”

“Of course, Prince Decembren.”  Layon bowed her head.  “We will avenge him as best we can, and we will honor his memory in any way we can.  He was a loyal servant and a good friend to you.  There’s none more worthy of a proper funeral.”

“Good.”  Hal dropped his hand.  “I admit, and I am shamed by this fact, but I was concerned of your troupe’s reputation, before hiring you.  Now, though, I see that someone has done you a great disservice.  I will spread word of your honor and heroism as far as I can, once we have victoriously parted ways.”

Layon felt her conscience, something that had spent a very long time buried under duty and ferocity, twist accusingly.  She kept her head lowered now to hid this.  “If you think it is wise, my Prince, I would be honored.”

“I must warm up, and find my Lady.  She can keep my power stable, for our fight.  Thank you.  All of you.”

Prince Decembren left the room, and as soon as the soundproof door was closed, Lady Lanessa de Vran Sie said, from her loveseat, “He didn’t even explain the terms!  Or when the duel was happening!  Oh, classic Hal.”  Lanessa stretched on her spot.  “It’s the day after tomorrow, Earth time, of course.”

“...And the terms, my Lady?”  Layon asked.  

“Unimportant.  I already have a very strong idea of the outcome, and even if I’m wrong, both are allotted for in the plan.”  Lanessa reclined her head against a pillow.  “The timer has started, by the way.  My plan must be executed soon, before the nearest Stellar Ranger Despair Hunters can arrive.  Oh, I’m so excited!  I feel such...anticipation.  Layon, isn’t it lovely?”

“Yes, my Lady.  Of course it is.”

Lanessa pouted.  “Oh, but you don’t sound excited about it!  No matter.  You’ll be excited for the fight--you’re all already starting to be, after all.  The ultimate test of my June, and her Stellar Rangers, before everything falls into place.  Finally...Oh, finally.  Thousands of years of planning, hundreds of years of setting up my ideal situations, only for them to crumble, it’s all finally here.  Finally time to claim my birthright, and the birthright of my dead, hollow, mortal form.”

Layon just nodded her head.  In it, under the blaze of her overcharged heart, the bright light of which blocking the lion’s share of her thoughts from her vile mistress, she wondered if there was anything, anything at all, she could do to prevent Lanessa’s plan from coming to fruition, and if such a victory was worth the lives of those who she loved and trusted the most.


	18. Episode 18:  The Duel

June Hespia could not sleep.

She tossed and turned in her bed, trying hard to find just the right, comfortable spot to get into, but she could not for the life of her find it.

“I see I’m not the only one who’s nervous.”  Avril said from the top bunk.

“Yeah.  I guess it’s kind of obvious.”  June sighed.  “We just have twelve hours before the duel and...I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“We have the plan, yes?”

“We do.  And I believe in the plan.  I’m just...not sure I believe in myself, you know?”  June sighed.  “Every time I run through what’s going to happen, Layon runs me down or sniffs me out almost instantly.  I’ve never even fought her, before, I fought Shryk and Jakil.”

“June, out of everyone, I believe in you the most.”  Avril peeked over the edge of her bunk bed, and into June’s bunk.  “I trust that you’ll be able to handle it.”

“I...guess.  Yes.  You’re right.”  June closed her eyes and steeled herself.  “I can do it. We can do it.”

“We will do it.”  Avril pulled herself back up, into bed.  “Now get some rest.”

June nodded, closed her eyes, and drifted to sleep.

 

*****

 

“Bed.  Like, now.”  Amber said in the library, hands on her hips.

Faye gave her big puppydog eyes.  “But I can’t sleep!  I’m too excited about tomorrow.”

Janice looked up from her stack of yearbooks and the notebook she was jotting into.  “You’re excited?”

“Like, you too!”  Amber snapped her head to Janice.  “Like, everyone needs to be sleeping.  This is like, important?”

“Yeah, I’m excited!  I’m a cheerleader, and Junie’s speech got me super pumped!  I’m really really buzzing about the duel!  We’re going to do great!”

“Faye, this is, like, serious?”  Amber pointed to her.  “And, like, being excited won’t keep you from being, like, tired tomorrow?”

“I’ll be fine, I sleep in bursts, anyway!  I’ll go back to sleep soon, I promise!”  Faye smiled widely.  “I just want to jog up and down the stairs a bit.”

Amber sighed.  “Fine, like, whatever?  But, like, if you’re exhausted tomorrow, like, you’d better get ready for, like an ‘I told you so’.”

Faye ran over to Amber, hugged her, and said, “G’night Jan, g’night Amber!  I’ll see you in the morning!”

As she left, Amber turned back to Janice.  “You.  Bed.  Like, now.”

“I just want to finish this up, and then I’ll be in bed.” She spread the yearbooks out a bit more and started to scribble down at a faster rate.  

“Like, what are you even doing?”  Amber walked over to her and peered over her shoulder.  “And, like, why aren’t you using a computer?”

“I think better writing free-hand.  And this is my notes!  I’m making a list of every single person in you guys’ peer group, and sorting them from most to least likely.”

Amber scanned the list and snorted.  “Ugh, like, I was hoping Valerie and Bethany were, like, really likely?”

“Unfortunately not.  She wouldn’t make herself someone we purposefully don’t want around us, in all likelihood.” Janice scrabbled a few more things down.  “I only have about a dozen more names, and then I’ll go to sleep.”

“You’d, like, better?”  Amber stood up.  “I need to, like, look around and make sure, like, the Schumachers didn’t, like, get out of bed, already.”

“You know, you should probably get to bed, too.”  Janice put down her mechanical pencil for a second.  “You need sleep just as much as the rest of us do.”

“Like, later.  Like, everyone else needs to be in bed, first.”

“Amber...”

Amber looked at Janice.  “Like, what?”

“It’s okay to be nervous, and it’s really cool you’re looking out for everyone else, but we’re going to be fine.  I know we’re going to be fine.”

“I, like...”  Amber sat down again.  “Shryk just, like, took all my effort to, like...just keep even with?  And now, like, she’s going to, like, have the other three with her?”

“Well, we’re all going to be fighting, and we’ve been training for three--”

“Like, three months isn’t a long, like, time?  They’re still, like, older and better and stronger than us.  Like...they’re still, like, gonna win?”

Janice shook her head.  “No, I don’t think so.  They’re older and stronger, yeah.  They’re more skilled, definitely.  But I doubt they’ve been training to fight us.  And also, as strong as you are?  Numbers can count for a lot.  And I know we’ve outnumbered them, before, but we’re going to be coordinating way way more this time.”

“I, like, guess?  It’s just big and like important and...like...”

“You’re gonna be covering us, Amber!  That’s one of the reasons we’re going to win.”  Janice smiled.  “Wow, I’m just oozing Junie’s friendship speech, aren’t I?”

Amber laughed.  “Like, yes?  But you’re, like, right.  Even if, like....even like when the team’s losing, a cheerleader gives a hundred percent.  Like, even if, like, we’re going against the number one team in the division, like....a cheerleader’s gotta be, like, positive!  And, like, so do I.”

“Plus, when we win, you can take your team back and kick Val and Beth off!”

Amber’s smile grew.  “Oh.  Like, absolutely!”

“See, you just needed somethin’ to fight for!”

 

*****

 

Our Lady of Mercy General Hospital and Mental Health Clinic had been, in its time, the most beautiful hospital in the city.  Impressive works of art had lined its walls.  It was a wide, broad structure, but not tall, and seemed, from street level, very welcoming.  Its central courtyard had been a place for patients to wander in the sun, through gardens of flowers and fruit.

However pretty the building had been, however, it had also not been a very good hospital.  Funding dried up, and its works of art were all sold at auction.  The central courtyard had been left to overgrow, and the building itself left to sit and slowly decay.

The Stellar Rangers had arrived early, and made it into the courtyard, through the still, empty building, with fifteen minutes to spare.

June and Senine stood in the middle.  Faye, Gemini, Avril, Auggie, and Janice were right behind them, with Cassie, Octavian, and Amber taking up the rear.

At ten til noon, there was a flash of red and silver.  The five generals of the Savage Stars stood before them, with Prince Decembren in front of them.

“Oh, good.”  Layon said.  “You haven’t decided to stay in your burrow, after all.”

“Looks like I owe you a drink, Supreme General.”  Moal said with his ever-present grin.

“At least, despite everything, there’s still some honor to you.”  Hal said.  “Are we prepared, or do you need the remainder of the ten minutes?”

“Before we start.”  June said, and looked over to Layon.  “Senine’s called Hal, but....I’m calling you out.  During this fight, I want it to be you and I fighting.  Leader to leader.”

Layon gave her a surprised look, and then a snort of laughter.  “You want to fight me.  Alone.”

“Yes.”  June said without hesitation.  “Yes, I do.”

“You talk like this is going to be a fight, child.”  Layon stepped forward.  “It isn’t.  You and yours are going to lose.  Embarrassingly and quickly.  No matter how much training you’ve done in your warren, we are a higher order of predator than you.”

“Yeah, sure.  That’s kind of what the Stellar Swords and Stellos said, too.”  June locked eyes with Layon.  “You and me, Layon.  Prove you’re as good as you say you are.”

Layon was a bit taken aback, and she laughed again, but this time, it was not a laugh of dismissal.  “Alright, Dark Star.  You and I.”  She gestured for June to follow her, and the two of them moved away from the main group, closer to one of the entrances of the courtyard.

Senine, meanwhile, moved to the other end of the courtyard, and gestured at Hal.  “Come on, loser.  Let’s give the others some space.  I don’t want to accidentally wing one of your guys while I’m beating the everloving fuck out of you.”

Hal followed her, and summoned his Nova Saber.  Senine summoned her Pulsar Sledge.

June had her Eclipse Blades, Umbra and Albedo, in hand, and Layon summoned her Savage Claws.

Faye’s own Savage Claws appeared, and she dropped into a crouch.  Avril conjured her Wave Cutlass and stepped into a defensive stance.

Shryk ripped the metal out of nearby doors, and fashioned it into her skeletal bird body.  Once she had hands, she summoned her Rotor Blades into them.

Amber’s Adamant Rifle appeared, and she dropped into a crouch.  Octavian stook a step back, flourished, and summoned his Tempest Bow.

Jakil created three copies of himself, each wielding two of his Jagged Edge.

Cassie’s Dyna Scythe sprung into being, as it did, the flowers around her in the courtyard sprang into bloom.  However, some wilted when Gemini summoned her Thana Scythe.

Moal’s Tremor Pick appeared in his hands, and he proceeded to lean on it.

Janice summoned her Volcanic Mace.  She took a few practice swings with it, and then stepped into a fighting stance.  Auggie’s Thunder Batons were called to her hands, and she gave them a quick twirl before preparing to fight.

Wreqluze summoned her fan, the Star Director, and rose above her teammates, idly fanning herself with her weapon.

“Alright.”  Senine said, letting her hammer rest on her shoulder.  “We’re ready.”

“Good.  Moal.”  Layon glanced over at him.  “End the duel.”

Moal grinned, and sunk his pickaxe into the earth.  Before the ground could start churning under the Stellar Rangers that were still grouped together, Octavian gestured, and all of them were lifted into the air.

Faye pushed off the churning ground and launched himself forward.  A Jakil leapt to intercept her, but a crack of the rifle reduced it to a glittering cloud.  Moal raised his pick to block her, but in doing so, the ground stopped churning.  Janice slammed into the ground on her way back, and the ground under Moal’s feet shot up, knocking him on his back.

Shryk pulled Faye away right before she would have hit Moal.  She tossed her to the side, and was suddenly distracted when three arrows hit her right in the egg.  Shryk’s single, yellow eye narrowed on Octavian.  Metal ripped itself out of the walls, and grew to large spears that all flew straight for Octy.  However, before they could reach, they each hit a glowing white square.

Suddenly, the spears were coming at Octavian from all sides, rather than merely straight on.  They stabbed down--and each one missed as Amber gestured, knocking their courses just slightly, just enough that they would hit the ground rather than Octavian.

Jakil rushed the group towards the back, and found the weeds below his clones and himself growing the slow him.  He chopped at them, and was not prepared for Auggie to dash through him, with lightning in her wake, destroying two of his clones outright.  He prepared more, only Gemini and Avril to leap in at him from both sides, scythe and sword putting his new clones on an immediate defensive.

Above, Wreqluze swung her fan, and rather than loop around and join the fight, Auggie found herself turning right into a wall, causing her to rebound with a heavy thwack.  She waved it again, and a field of hardened space formed in front of Moal as he stood.  She prepared to do more, but was interrupted when a cloud of green pollen and spores floated into her.  She started to cough and hack, teleporting away in a flash, her shield fading as soon as it had appeared.

“Wait, is the fight over?”  June said to Layon.  “It looks like it’s still going to me.”

Layon grinned.  “You’re going to give some sport, after all.”  She lunged, and June responded by backpedaling as fast as she could and detonating a darkness globe at right where she had been standing.  Layon snarled and slashed the ground a split-second too late.

“I can track you by scent, Dark Star!”  She cried out, and immediately started on June’s trail.  She heard June’s feet over broken glass, and then on ruined carpet.

“I know.”  June mumbled to herself as she sprinted down the halls of the decrepit hospital.  “I’m counting on it.”

 

Hal swiped his sword out, only for it to be batted aside by the Pulsar Sledge.  Senine swept the haft of her hammer out at his legs as she spun with the momentum, but he hopped back to avoid the trip and fired a blast of white-hot plasma.

Senine countered with a crusher ball, and the two canceled each other out.  She went on the offensive, now, with two heavy overhand swings.  Hal blocked both of them, but each swing was more powerful than the last, and immediately knocked him off balance.  She reacted by pulling her hand down, temporarily increasing his gravity to the point where he fell over.

“Wow, Hal, heavy armor against a girl who can control gravity?”  She stepped back and rested her hammer’s shaft against her shoulder.  “Not a smart move.”

Hal threw off his helmet as he stood.  “Agreed.  Give me a moment to rectify it?”

Senine rolled her eyes.  “I guess, though, really, my generous nature and my tolerance for stripping during fights is really going to bite me in the ass, someday.”

Hal pulled off his armor and tossed it aside.  He was not wearing a shirt, and the only armor he kept on was his left gauntlet.  “Better.  Thanks.”

“If I don’t beat you at your best, it’s not a victory.”  Senine shrugged.

“You have to win, first.”

“Well, I’m not the one dating a vampire, so I’m already more of a winner than you are, Hal..”

The air around Hal started to burn.  “Careful, Senine.  Keep talking like that and I’m going to stop taking it easy on you.”

“Oh, are we playing for realsies, now?”  Senine held her hammer in front of her with both hands.  “Hammer of the Dying Star, grant me the power to defeat my foes.”  The head of her hammer went black, and the weapon visibly distorted space as she moved it.  The lights around Senine began to dim.

Prince Decembren’s sword began to glow with white-hot light.  “I suppose we are.”

 

Moal brought down his pickaxe into the ground and dragged it, bringing up walls of earth all around Cassie that immediately started to close in.  However, before they could crush her, a large wave smashed into him hard enough to knock him off balance.  Avril and her sword followed it, cutting a deep gash in his arm.  He dropped his pickaxe and batted her away.

She landed on her feet with a bloody nose and a cracked tooth.  The weeds of the garden, meanwhile, pulled the dirt away from Cassie, and she slipped out before Moal could finish his attack.

Shryk’s wings slashed down at Auggie, but she was too fast to be hit.  The skeletal construct spun and launched a rotor blade at her, one that followed her motion by motion, eager to cut into her.

While Shryk was distracted, however, Janice closed in and smashed her mace down.  Shryk tried to knock her metal away, and experienced a brief moment of panic when nothing happened.  The molten weapon slammed into her side, sending cracks down the length of her egg.  She recalled her blade and slashed out with both the remaining and her wing, but both attacks met a pillar of molten rock rather than Janice.

Wreqluze tried to concentrate and gesture.  The cracks on Shryk started to mend, and the wound on Moal’s arm started to fade, but she was forced to dodge when a flurry of both arrows came her way.  She tried to pop all around the courtyard, but she never had more than a moment’s rest, and was soon on full defense rather than support.

Faye lunged, and smashed through an entire group of Jakils at once.  Four tried to slash her at once, but she raised her head and howled.  The Savage Stars only flinched slightly at Faye’s howl, but it was enough of a break for Faye to leap forward and destroy all four with a series of frenzied swipes.  Jakil paled, and summoned a full two dozen of himself, all at once.  As soon as he had, Gemini put her scythe in one, and then, her hands glowing white with violet sparks, she touched another and said, “Wound Memory!”

Every single false Jakil popped as the original’s arm forcefully broke, in memory of his fight with Senine.  He let out a cry of alarm and immediately summoned five copies, and then destroying himself to restore himself.

Meanwhile, Amber had raised three of the spikes that Shryk had thrown at her and worked with quick, complicated motions, changing and rearranging the metal into a better form.

Shryk turned her skeletal head towards Amber, and clenched her fist.  The metal Amber had been working on so carefully was wrenched out of her grasp, and then came down towards her as hundreds of metal slivers.  Amber did not have much time, and had only just enough time to prevent them from piercing anything vital on her.  She collapsed, her arms and legs full of old steel.

Cassie rushed over to her, only to find the both of them surrounded by Jakils.  Moal slammed his pick down again, and the ground began to churn.  Octavian noticed this, and raised everyone up with a gust of wind, but in doing so, he gave Wreqluze a moment to breathe, and that was all she needed.  In a flash, she was rebuilding Shryk’s shell, and repairing the gash on Moal’s arm.

“Is that--”  Shryk began, only to stop when she noticed something.  Amber had not just been re-forming the poles--she had been doing that while subtly shifting the location of the other ones.

Auggie darted through the entire group, and when lightning followed in her wake, it cascaded along the steel spears protruding from the ground, and, in turn, arced to the Savage Stars.  Every Jakil popped, and the original fell to the ground, spasming.  Shryk was still grounded, and Wreqluze was unaffected, but, despite having ground powers, Moal was still shocked, his hand jerking back and releasing his pickaxe as he stumbled away.

Cassie helped Amber, who had now been healed enough that she would not bleed out, up.  Amber picked her rifle up, out of the ground.

“...Interesting.”  Shryk said.  “New data acquired.”

 

Layon moved low through the corridors of the hospital.  The halls had only sparse light, filtering in through grimy and boarded up windows, but her eyes were perfectly adapted to the dimness, and she saw as well as a human might at high noon on a sunny day.  The smell of mold and decay was strong, here, but not so strong as to drown out June’s scent.  She stopped outside a storeroom, sniffed, and then called out, “Is this the duel you promised me, Dark Star?  You running and hiding, while I stalk you?  I should move back to the others, they may be far more interesting--”

Before Layon could finish, a brilliant flash of light erupted in front of her.  She let out a cry of alarm, her sensitive, darkness-focused eyes screaming in the pain of the sudden light.  She heard something run past her, and slashed wildly.  Her claws found no purchase, but pain exploded from her right leg as she felt two daggers dig into her flesh.  She kicked wildly, and that connected.  She felt June be launched back, and heard the familiar sound of a body hitting the ground and rolling.

She was relieved that June’s breathing had continued, and that her heart was still beating, as she would hate for the hunt to be over so quickly.  Layon blinked away the damage of the flash, and saw, in the dim light, June push herself to her feet and dart down another corridor, one arm wrapped around her midsection.

Layon’s leg had not been badly injured, but she was definitely going to be favoring the leg for the rest of the fight.  She briefly considered finding Wreqluze and getting it healed, but, thought against it.  She walked down the corridor, continuing to sniff the air.

“I must congratulate you, Dark Star.”  Layon said as she limped down the hall June had gone down.  “You’ve surprised me.  I expected you to try to attack me straight on.”

“You’re stronger, faster, and more skilled than I am.”  June replied from a door to the side.  Layon entered, and found herself in what once was a room for a large number of patients.  While the equipment and beds were all gone, the privacy curtains remained--though some in better condition than others.  “Even with the limp, you can catch me in a straight-up race.”

Layon reached up, and ripped a set of curtains from the wall.  She lifted them and threw them, knocking several more out of the crumbling wall, and sending the whole mess tumbling into the rest.  “I can, yes.”

“You can probably even tell where my voice is coming from.  But!  Like Faye...that’s all the magic you have.  That and--”

Layon lifted her head and roared.

“--Yeah, that.  We’ve been practicing with Faye’s, over and over again.  It’ll get us to flinch, but...it’s not as scary as it used to be.  I bet you did the same, with your guys.”

“I did.  A long time ago.”  Layon ripped open the first curtain on the other side.  She knew exactly which one June was hiding behind, but, there was not any harm to giving her a false sense of security.

“What did Lanessa do to make you work for her, Layon?”

Layon paused as she was about to rip down the next curtain.

“I figure you work for her.  You being her’s makes the super convenient timing make a lot more sense.  I bet all this was her idea, huh?  But you and the others...I don’t know, you don’t seem evil.”

“She...I was in need of power.  She came to me and offered it.  My clan had been eradicated.  I was the only one alive.  I needed the revenge she could give me.  It was worth...more than my life.”

“You know she’s going to do something awful, right?  I don’t know what it is but it’s going to be awful.  Where’s the honor or glory in helping that?”

Layon ripped open the next curtain.  “I don’t know, to be honest.  But right now, that doesn’t matter, as much as this.”

“Right.  Anyway.  I know you’re too smart for the same trick to work twice, so--”

Layon ripped the third curtain open, just in time for June to unleash a massive wave of cascading black and white energy that shattered the room around them and threw Layon forward, through the wall of the room, and then, into the wall to the courtyard.

June stepped out from it, cradling her chest.  She had broken ribs, and as Layon had been launched away, she had managed to rip open June’s upper arm with a grazing swipe of her claw.  She turned and bolted, down the corridor, back towards the place they had entered the hospital proper.  She very much hoped she had what she needed for her final move.

 

 

Hal’s sword flashed out in several quick slashes, which Senine blocked with the haft of her hammer.  She followed the last one up by pressing the head of her hammer into the blade, deflecting it and following it up with a high kick aimed at Hal’s head.  It connected, and sent him stumbling back, swiping wildly to keep Senine from following.

He was covered in bruises, just like Senine was covered in burns.  He lifted his free hand and fired a beam of high powered plasma at her, which she dodged, and flowing into a crusher ball aimed at his chest.  Hal blocked it with his sword, which was bent and crushed in half on impact.

Senine charged at that, spinning with her Hammer to use her full, augmented weight behind the blow.  Hal used his ruined sword to block it, and when it was knocked from his hands, he immediately summoned another and did a low slash at Senine’s legs.  She hopped over the blade, and brought the hammer down with both hands.  Hal dodged, but the force of the impact was enough to knock him back.

“You’re exhausting yourself, Hal.”  Senine pointed her hammer at him.  “Call off the duel.  Now.  You’re not going to win this.”

“No.”  Hal growled.  He shifted the grip on his sword and held it up, like a javelin.  “I have come too far and lost too much to lose, now.”

Senine took a step back.  She rested her hammer on the ground by the head, and placed both of her hands in front of her, one above the other.  Hal’s sword began to glow brightly, and then burst into a bright, raging, white flame.  Senine’s hands crackled with purple energy, and the black ball of condensed gravity formed between them.

“Burning Eternity!”  Hal shouted, and threw the bolt of turbulent heat at Senine.

Senine pulled both her hands in either direction, and the ball of gravity began to spin.  “Twisted Spiral!”

The blast, which still looked to have a sword in it, flew right for Senine.  The Twisted Spiral opened wider, and before the plasma could engulf her, it swallowed the whole blast up.  Senine’s hands twitched, and she forced them to close and thus destroy the deadly spiral.  In that time, however, Hal had summoned another sword, and rushed at her with it raised high.

Senine kicked up her hammer and snatched it out of the air.  As Hal’s slash came down, and she felt the overpowering heat around her, she stepped to the side and greatly increased his gravity for just a second.  She twisted on her heel and slammed the head of her hammer into his back.  There was a crack, and Hal smashed onto the ground, the wind knocked out of him as well as several of his back ribs broken.

Senine lifted her hammer, and then stood it up on Hal’s back.  Once it was in place, she increased its gravity.  He tried to get up, to push it off, but the weight held him there, helpless and trapped.

 

Shryk raised both her arms into the air, and brought down a huge multitude of long, sharp spears of metal onto the Stellar Rangers.  As she was raising them, Cassie put both hands to the ground, and dozens of trees tore themselves up from the soil.  The spears cut through at least one tree apiece, but Cassie strained as she put more energy into the attack, fully blocking the onslaught with a second--and in some places, a third--row of trees..

Wreqluze darted through the air, and placed a shield around herself.  Octavian’s arrows plinked off of her as she teleported Shryk from the spot she had been at to one with a better, treeless view of the Stellar Rangers.

Octavian tensed and arrow, and when he fired it, it was a tornado.  It zoomed for Wreqluze as she was busy.  It swept up several Jakils, as well as two long, weighted chains, thrown into it by Amber, who was firing her rifle one-handed at approaching Jakils as she directed them.

Wreqluze was swept up in and disoriented by the current.  As she tried to teleport herself out, the weighted chains wrapped around her, completely entangling all of her arms.  When the tornado disappeared, she tumbled through the air and smashed through one of the second floor windows of the hospital.

Moal swiped his pick down at Faye, who dodged to the side and slashed out at his legs.  He grimaced at the sizable gash, and raised up his free hand, clenching it tightly.  As he did, a hand of dirt rose from the ground and grasped Faye trightly.  Before he could crush down, however, Gemini darted in, and her scythe slashed down, into the back of Moal’s large hand.  He roared as his hand was impaled, and the one grabbing Faye crumbled back into dirt.

Avril and Auggie were surrounded on all sides by dozens of Jakils.  Swords came at them from every direction, and Avril expertly blocked as many as she could, with Auggie picking up the slack.  Every attack Auggie blocked, though there were fewer of them, had the added benefit of sending the Jakil in question back with a jolt through their sword.

Janice let out a whistle, and  Auggie clapped her batons together, sending a wave of static through the crowd of Jakils, stunning them long enough for Avril to grab her.  A waterspout shot underneath them, sending both Auggie and Avril into the sky.

In front of the crowd, Janice lifted her foot and, with all of her strength, slammed it down.  A wave of heated, disturbed earth shot forth from her and slammed into the gathered Jakils, knocking them into the wall of the hospital.  All but one popped in a spray of light and glitter, while the last hit with a thwack, and then landed, out cold, on the ground.

Shryk’s single eye narrowed.  She lifted a free and, and pulled Wreqluze out of the window by the chains binding her.  She removed the chains with her magic, and turned them into another set of spears.

Wreqluze, a bit winded, pushed herself up and started to float beside Shryk.  Moal shoved Gemini away and backed up, closer to where Jakil had landed.

Faye dusted herself off, and then let out another, longer howl.  Gemini held her scythe in a ready position, and stepped a bit closer to the enemy.

Avril landed on a soft cushion of air, and Auggie hit the ground like a lightning bolt, both tired but not worse for the wear.  

Amber ratcheted another round into the chamber.  She ached but her aim was steady.  Cassie stood on shaking legs, and pointed her scythe at the Savage Stars.

Janice stood up, a pounding headache behind her eyes.  Octavian nocked another whirlwind.

 

June stood in the hallway, her back to the back wall of the hospital, glowing with black and white fire.  She could see the battle through the ruined doorway, and her heart beamed with pride.

Her pride faded into resignation when she saw Layon step in front of her.  “Is this it?  You try to blast me with one last, powerful shot?”

June nodded.  “Yeah.  That’s--”  Her whole body shivered and convulsed for a moment as she held the Brilliant Darkness Execution back.  She could not maintain this for long, but she needed to hold it for just a second longer.

“It’s not going to hit.  We both know I’m too fast.”

“We’ll...we’ll see.”  June grimaced.  “You can surrender, now.  My team’s, they’re winning.  And Senine beat up Hal.  It’s over, Layon.  Don’t make me...don’t make me finish it.”  June shifted slightly, under the guise of pain.  She was actually adjusting her position, and prayed that Layon would not catch on to her plan.

“If you miss, I’m going to drag you out there, battered and broken, and force their surrender.”  Layon said.  “You know this.”

Layon was going to catch on.  She knew it.  June was out of time.  She lifted a hand, and pointed it right at her opponent.  The black and white flame flared even higher.  “I know.”

Layon dove out of the way, and then turned on reflex to watch the path of the massive blast of conflicting energy.

She realized too late what June’s plan had been.

Because June had chosen her spot well, and when she had slightly shifted her position, it was so that, when Layon dodged, the Brilliant Darkness Execution was aimed right for Shryk.

“Shryk!”  Layon shouted, and started to sprint towards her.

The skeletal bird turned, and then the egg removed its frame to try to block the attack.  However, unlike before, she did not have quite enough time for complete coverage.

When the smoke cleared, the shell had been blasted open.  Laying on the ground next to it was a thin, weak figure, shaped sort of like a bird.  Her body was curled in on itself in the fetal position, and she was making weak, shuddering breaths.

“Shryk!  Oh, my Shryk!”  Layon ran over to her and knelt next to her.  The birdlike humanoid looked up at Layon with three yellow eyes, and weakly moved to put her wing-hand in Layon’s hand.

“Wreqluze.”  Layon commanded.  “Take her back.  Her and her shell.  Keep...keep her alive.  Please.”

Wreqluze nodded, and she, Shryk, and the remains of the egg all vanished.

June jogged up to the rest of her friends, all of whom were looking very, very tired, and very, very relieved.

Layon turned to June, glaring.  “I should kill you for that.  However...the error was mine, for underestimating you.  You, all of you, have done very well.  I forfeit--however, if Shryk dies....I will be back, and I will carve my recompense out of you, Dark Star, word be damned.  Are we clear?”

“As crystal.”

From behind them, there was an explosion of heat.  The Pulsar Sledge was melted away, and Hal pushed himself onto shaky legs.  He summoned his sword and pointed it at the group.  “I’m...”

Senine had her hammer out already.  Before she could hit Hal with it, again, he dropped his sword, and dropped to his knees.

“It’s over, I suppose.”  He muttered.  “I feel...relieved?  That seems weird.  I’m resigning myself to death, and yet,I feel...relieved.”

Layon approached him, and put a hand on his shoulder.  “Come, my Prince.  We should prepare Grim’s funeral.”

“Yes, Layon.  And also, perhaps, I could use Wreqluze’s healing, once Shryk is back to her old self again.”

“Of course, my Prince.  Our services are yours.”  Layon looked to Moal, who was helping a dazed Jakil up.  “Prepare for departure.”

“Actually...”  Moal looked a little guilty.  “I’m sorry, boss.  I’ve never had a challenge like this before.  And maybe, I never will again, y’know?  I’m afraid I quit.”

Layon got a grim expression, but she nodded.

“I, too, must resign my commission, Supreme General.”  Jakil summoned a clone of himself, which stabbed him through the chest.  The new Jakil seemed much less rattled.  “This has been the most gorgeous defeat.  I want it to be my great work, the one I’m renowned for for the rest of the life of this Universe.”

Layon approached them, and embraced them, first Moal, and then Jakil.  “I understand.  I’ll see you both in another life.  We’ll find an even greater hunt, there.”

Layon walked back to the Prince.  Her former soldiers waved her off, and she and the Prince vanished in a flash of silver and red.

“So, wait.”  Auggie said, glancing around.  “Does anyone know what just happened?  Besides us winning, my brain didn’t process that yet, why’re these guys here?”

Senine approached her friends.  Her hammer was still ready.  “I know, yeah.”

“Well, see, no one associated with the Prince can go after you, anymore.”  Moal’s whole body began to glow with a burning brown light.  The earth started to shake.

“And we simply must have an encore.”  Jakil glowed with a sparkling aura, and almost seemed to be vibrating, as images of him appeared all around him in rapid succession.  “So we have resigned the Savage Stars, and our part as associates of the Prince.”

“Only thing is, y’can’t ‘resign’ from the Savage Stars.  So, either way, we’re dead.  So let’s make this a real great last fight.”  Moal said as his star burned too hotly to be safe within him.  The earth rose, and in a startlingly small amount of time, the Stellar Rangers were staring up at a towering construct of earth, holding a pickaxe nearly as large as it was.

“Make it beautiful.”  Jakil said from a hundred mouths at once as his heart burned hotter than his body would allow.  He did not have duplicates, exactly.  There was a hazy field that consumed fully half the courtyard, a repeating of nearly endless, indistinct Jakils, with none so clear as to indicate whether it was, in fact, the real one or not.

“Okay.”  June said, and stepped forward.  “If this is your guys’ last fight...then I think we can manage giving you a good one.”

Black and white flame gathered around her chest.  She reached down, and the fire flashed over her body.  When it faded, she was in her Penumbral Form, holding the guitar that was also the most powerful weapon in the Universe in her arms.

“You wanted to see what this thing can do?  You’ve got it.”

 

*****

 

Layon sat by Shryk’s bed as Wreqluze worked.  Shryx had a breathing machine hooked up to her beak and several IVs placed in her wing arms.  One of her feathered hands was resting in Layon’s.

“I do not get so many chances to see you, not through a lens.”  Shryk’s voice was raspier and weaker than what her life support device provided.  Wreqluze was feverishly working on said egg-shaped device as they spoke, replacing parts and adjusting damage at rapid speed.

“I don’t think the scare’s worth it.”  Layon could not help but smile, though.  “But I have missed your eyes, and warmth.”

“...I was careless.  They had improved and learned better than I had thought.”  Shryk sighed.  “I am sorry, Supreme General.”

“Shryk, no.  They were clever and capable.  There’s no shame in our loss.”  Layon brushed through the downy feathers on Shrk’s head with her hand.  “We all did very well.”

Shryk nodded.  “...Do you remember what I asked of her?”

“Of course I do.  You were trapped in your support machine.  You desperately wanted a way to touch and move and interact and be free.”

“Yes.  Freedom.”  Shryk looked Layon in the eye. “We cannot let her win, Layon.”

“No.”  Layon looked right back at her.  “I suppose we should be free, together.  When the time is right.”

Shryk nodded.  “Yes.  We will be free, when the time is right.  Wreqluze?”

Wreqluze absent-mindedly nodded, as she was engrossed in her task.  There was no question, however, that she understood exactly what she was agreeing to.

 

*****

 

The huge pick came down, and the Stellar Rangers scattered to avoid it.

June’s wings appeared to send her skyward, and she was met there by a haze of Jakils and swords.  She played a chord to knock them away, but the haze dissipated, only to reappear all around her.

The entire ground was now in a constant state of churning.  The hospital was starting to sink into it as the construct, towering high above them all, began to laugh.

Octy summoned the wind, again, though now he was looking worn and tired.  Cassie planted her scythe in the ground and concentrated as she released it.  All of the uprooted, churning weeds, trees,  flowers, and shrubs dug their roots into the ground and snaked deeper and deeper, before grass started to spread like a fire up the consort.

June played the shield song, and all of the hazy, indistinct swords that were aimed at her were reflected off the sphere of force surrounding her.  She waited until she was completely surrounded by it, and the Jakil haze attacked her from every direction, and then slammed down a rough, powerful chord.

Energy shot through the shield and into the cloud, cascading through all of it in a wave of black and white flame.  It was carried all through the entirety of the cloud, burning away anything and everything connected to it.

When the fire faded, Jackil’s burning body fell to the ground.  “At last...”  He croaked as his star consumed his form.  “...something...beautiful...”

The ground shook as Janice crashed into the churning earth like a meteor.  The whole construct shook, and briefly lost cohesion.  Auggie blasted it with a huge bolt of lightning, hardening parts of it into glass.

The construct lifted its hands, and dozens of hands made of earth ripped themselves from the ground, grabbing at the Stellar Rangers.  Before they could do too much, however, a lance of black and white energy smashed through its torso and ripped it apart.  The hands dissipated, and Moal’s form tried desperately to pull together.

A huge wave smashed down at it, greatly hampering those efforts.  Gemini, meanwhile, closed her eyes, one hand on Amber’s rifle.  She nudged the barrel slightly, and then Amber fired her bayonet off.  It sunk into the construct, and both she and Faye ripped the chain back, pulling Moal out of it and pulling him towards the Stellar Rangers.

Senine signaled to Octy, and a heavy wind current sent her forward, hammer raised, its head absorbing light and heat and energy.

Moal was laughing as Senine’s hammer met his momentum, and he laughed as he flew back and slammed through the hospital, his body burning to ashes from his star the entire time.

 

*****

 

Layon found herself pinned to the wall by Lanessa’s gloved talon.  “You did  **_what_ ** ?”

“It wasn’t my place to tell them they couldn’t quit, my Lady.  Moal and Jakil are dead.”

Lanessa glared, and then dropped her.  “Ugh.  Fine.  Whatever.  Their hearts would have better served me than their last stand, but it doesn’t really matter.”  She glided across the infirmary, and sat down next to Shryk.  “My love is alive, and, what’s more important, June has passed the final test.  She’s ready.”

“If I may ask...why?”  Layon straightened herself out.  “Why all this effort to make June and her friends stronger?  I would think...that would hinder your plan.”

“Because, Layon, she needs the strongest, most tempered and stable connection to both her star and the Penumbra as possible for my plan to work.”  Lanessa idly kicked her feet.  “Her friends are just a side dish.  They’re here because she can’t do it alone.  She needed her friends for stability and defense.  And now, she’s finally ready.  I just need to prepare them with Lynneth, and then the real fun can begin.”

 

****

 

At the post-duel sleepover, June had earned herself a place of honor--she was on the bed, rather than the fold-out couch or a really quite comfortable sleeping bag on Cassie’s bedroom’s floor.  June had Faye to join her in the bed, and Avril ended up falling asleep across the bottom of the massive thing.  Amber, Auggie, Cassie,  Gemini, and Janice had sort of formed a pile on the fold-out bed, and the two full rangers were sprawled out on sleeping bags--Senine had insisted, because she was sick, that she needed to have three bags, two to sleep on, and one to half sleep in and half sleep on.

Everyone was snoozing away quite happily, save for June.  She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and she was full of pizza and ice cream, but neither the exhaustion, nor the food coma, would claim her.

They had won an exhausting and hard-fought victory, it was true.  However, as difficult and trying as it had been, June had a creeping, gnawing suspicion that something so much harder, so much more harrowing, was right around the corner.


	19. Episode 19:  Lynneth Ursula Card

Avril waited under a tree, outside of Solar City High.  In the three months since she had been forced into the siege, a chill late fall wind had come over Solar City, though, through both her power and her nervousness, Avril barely noticed it.

She was either going to tell her girlfriend she loved her, or she was going to break up with her, and try her best to ask out her new best friend.  She had no idea which she was going to do, and that was, perhaps, the very worst part.

Still, the sun was bright despite the season, and Avril was happy to be both outside and not worried about imminent death, for once.

“Babe!”  Lynneth called, rushing up to Avril and hugging her.  Before she could say anything, Lynneth kissed her hotly on the lips.  There was passion and affection and a hunger in the kiss that Avril could not--and would not--deny.

“Lynn.”  Avril smiled at her as the kiss ended.  She could not think for a moment of why she would ever want to break up with Lynneth.  “I’ve missed you.”

“And IIIIII missed you.”  She kept ahold of Avril’s hands.  “A lot.  Are you all caught up?  Do you need any help with homework?”

“No, I kept up.  I think we all have.”

“Good.”  Lynneth snapped her fingers.

Avril’s expression went vacant.

“Alright, pet.  Tell me what you’ve found out.”

“We’re going through a list of suspects.  It’s large.”  Avril said in a distant voice.

“And where am I on it?”

“You are on the list of moderate suspects.  Bernadette is higher than you are.”

Lynneth smiled.  “Good.  Now, I want you to stay close to your friends.  When you hear more about when these ‘Despair Hunters’ are arriving, do let me know.”

“Yes, my love, of course, my love.”

Lynneth snapped her fingers.  “Alright, then, my love!  Walk me to class?:

Avril offered her hand, and Lynneth took it, and, together, they walked to school.

 

*****

 

Janice had missed school.  She had missed the hustle and bustle of routine, the sea of increasingly familiar faces.  She had missed the organized sports, both figuratively and literally, as soccer season had completely passed her by while under siege--though she was promised a definite slot in the spring when it started back up.

What she had not missed was the debacle at lunch, when she was trying to do research, and found herself surrounded by students, both classmates and underclassmen alike.

“Wow, Janice, did you really record new things with your band?”

“Oh my god, is it true there’s a Shining Star reunion tour coming soon?”

“I was afraid you were going to leave!  Hey, Janice, do you want to be in my band?”

“Can you play a song on the drums for me?”

“Janice, what’re you writing?”

“Hey, I can help you with that, Janice!”

June had her hands over her ears.  Janice gave her an apologetic look.

“Shoo!”  Gemini shouted, but the students had forgotten their fear of her.

“It’s okay, I’ll just...do it later?”  Janice sighed.  “It’s annoying but I’m glad it’s at least not changed, you know?  It’ll die down in a few days.”

Auggie grinned.  “Y’know, I bet the Marches would laugh forever if they saw this, until it happened to them a sec later.”

“Yeeep.”

 

*****

 

“Like, what do you mean, we can’t, like, kick Valerie and Bethany off the team!  We’re, like, captains?”  Amber made an exasperated noise.  “You know they’re jerks, Steve, like, they’re the ones who spread all those rumors you were gay?”

Steve, the only boy on the Solar City Middle School cheerleading squad, gave her a defeated look.  “Sorry, Amber.  Until they do something bad, they’re stuck.”

“Yeah, and besides.”  Jacki added.  She was Steve’s best friend, and also the best cheerleader on the team who was not a Stellar Ranger.  “You spread those rumors, too.”

Amber’s eyes widened, and she went dead silent.  Faye patted her on the back.

“Well, that’s okay!  If they’re being nice--”

“We never said that.”  Steve and Jacki shared a look.  Steve then said, “They’ve been being quiet.  They never say or do anything we can hear.  They mostly just badmouth your guys’ routines.”

“Which is B. S.”  Jacki crossed her arms over her chest.  “Those routines were quality.  They’re the only reason you guys are still captains, honestly.”

“Oh, well, I’m glad you liked them!”  Faye smiled widely.  “I think I have a couple routines for two extra people, as long as they’re here, with us!  And who knows, maybe team spirit’ll make them better people!”

Amber, Jacki, and Steve all exchanged glances.

“I know it’s not likely but we need to hope!”

“Or that they screw up, fast.”  Jacki said.  “So that we can complain and kick their asses to the curb.”

“Yes!”  Faye said, just as enthusiastically.

“Well, with Faye here, that’s going to happen sooner rather than later.”  Steve said.  “They can only resist not being homophobic for so long.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what we thought about Amber.”

Amber twitched again.

Faye stared right at Jacki.  “Cool it.  She’s nice now, and she’s sorry for what she did.”

Jacki blinked, more surprised by being admonished by Faye than anything else.

“I’m sorry.”  Amber muttered.  “I’m, like, really, like, sorry I, like....was like that.”  She could not make eye contact.  “I, like, I guess there are like, probably rumors, but, like...my parents, like, kicked me out, I guess?  I ran away and they, like, signed forms saying, like, it was okay for me to, like, not come back.  I’m, like, staying with Auggie?  I, like...”  Amber reached over and took Faye’s hand.  Faye let her, and gave her an encouraging smile.  “I, like, I’m dating Auggie.”

Both Jacki and Steve looked at each other, and then at Amber.  Steve said, “Wow.  For...how long?”

“Like, a year?”

Jacki and Steve looked stunned.  Steve was the first to break out of his stun.  “Congratulations?”

“You suddenly--or not so suddenly, I guess--being gay doesn’t make the bad things you did any better.”

“Jacks.”  Steve turned to her.  “Cool it, okay?  It’s okay.”  He looked to Amber.  “I accept your apology.  If Faye’s cool with you after how you acted, you’re cool with me.”

Jacki seemed to want to press it, but did not.  She sighed.  “Okay, okay, you win.  Sorry, Amber.”

“Yeah, like, whatever?  It’s all, like, water under the, like, bridge.”

“Right!”  Faye beamed.  “So, we’ll do practice after school today, and work on our twelve-person routines!  I can lift even more than I used to be able to, so we can definitely use that!  Is that good for everyone?”

Jacki nodded.  “Right, I’ll send out some texts.  Even to them.”

“Send their texts out, like, half an hour before, like the last bell.”  Amber said.  “I want them, like, a little frantic?  Maybe, like, they’ll be irritable and, like, give us an excuse.”

Jacki could not help but smirk a bit at that.  “Got it.”

“That’s not very nice, Amber!”  Faye put her hands on her hips.

“Like, so?”

“Oh, I’m not gonna stop you!  It’s just not nice.”

 

*****

 

Janice had her face buried in yearbooks, student registries she was probably not supposed to have, and parent workplaces and addresses she was definitely not supposed to have.  Rather than meet in the library, the girls had opted to meet in June’s living room, as they were all very, very tired of being in the Tower.  Janice was sitting at the coffee table.

“I don’t even know what I’m looking for.”  She whined, not bringing her head up.  “I don’t know any of what I’m trying to find.”

June was sitting behind her, on the couch, with the Schumacher twins perched beside her.  Each of the twins had a different sheet of paper from Janice’s collection.  “No one has ‘vampire’ written in their medical conditions?”

“Unfortunately not.”  Janice flipped through the pages, checked them against something, and then sighed.  “Ugggggh.”

“Hopefully the Despair Hunters have something that just detects them?”  Auggie offered from her spot on a revolving chair.

“Maybe...”

“That’s a problem, though.”  June said.  “I should be able to feel her.  I did, when she did her big explosion thing.  But I couldn’t afterwards or before, and if she’s been hanging around with us, I haven’t felt her, then.  She definitely has a way to block the Despair waves or whatever they are that I can pick up.”

“So we do need to do this, then.”  Cassie put down her papers.  “Though, Janice is correct, I have no idea what I’m looking for.”

“I bet you I can find it first.”  Gemini did not look up as she said this.  Cassie gave her a dirty look.

“We tied, the last time competed, I’ll have you remember..”

Janice thought about it for a moment, and then gathered her list up again.  She started to run through it, again, name by name.

Octavian came into the room, wearing a frilly apron, and holding a tray full of steaming cups of hot chocolate.  Senine came with him, grumbling the entire time.  She tossed her phone on the only other available chair and sat down in it.  “Okay, so, Avril’s on the way over.  She’s ecstatic about being with Lynneth “the Devil” Card.  Faye and Amber are almost here.  And Malcolm and Lydia just put out a new video!  It features a glowing, flying person who they think is holding a gun, fighting a giant made of dirt.”  Senine groaned.  “I hate everything.  Please tell me you know who the star vampire is so I can go punch her in the face a thousand goddamn times.”

“No, but, I have an idea.  It’s a dumb idea but I’m looking now.”  Janice was taking the names and listing out possible combinations of the letters beside them.

There was a knock on the door, and in came Amber and Faye, still wearing their cheerleading outfits.  They slumped down on the floor.

June got up and sat down next to Faye.  Faye looked up at her and then grabbed her, snuggled into her.  “Val and Beth are awful.  We can’t kick them out but they’re awful.”

“I, like, hate them so much.”  Amber fumed.  “They, like, spent half the practice in the corner?  Like, whispering?”

“Aw, babe.”  Auggie got out of her chair and handed Amber a hot chocolate.  Amber gracefully accepted by taking it and taking a large swig of it.

As soon as Auggie had gotten up, Octy took her chair.  Auggie turned around, saw this, and was miffed but not surprised.

“Is anyone good at anagrams?”  Janice asked from her spot at the table.

“I am.”  June said.  “Why?”

“I’m trying to see if she did the classic villain thing of hiding in plain sight.”  Janice handed June the sheet for the high likelihood candidates.  “Could you do the rest while I work on the medium risks?”

“Sure.”  She stayed next to Faye, and started to jot down a few things.

“So, what, Jan?  You think that our mystery girl is Var Stampire from gym?”  Auggie sat down next to Amber.  Amber took her hand almost immediately, and Gemini tried to keep herself from observing this fact.

“No, smartass.”  Janice stuck her tongue out at Auggie.  “I’m talking something...I dunno, she’s big on hiding in plain sight, right?  She comes right out and does her stuff and we can’t deal with it...so maybe she’s given us a big clue she can laugh about us not getting.”

The door opened, and Avril came in.  She was smiling widely, and drifted through the room to the couch, where she sat in June’s old spot.

Senine rolled her eyes, but Octavian grinned at her.  “So, your brief date with Miss Card has gone well, I take it?”

“Very well, yes.  I didn’t realize how much I had missed her until I was there with her.”  Avril had a fond look on her face.  “I’m so relieved she didn’t break up with me, after I have been away for so long.”

“Yeah, what a tragedy.”  Senine said in a deadpan.  “Anyway, let’s order some food so I can take my mind off of Malcolm’s increasingly high follower count.”

Chinese takeout was ordered, and more hot chocolate was made.  While Octavian got it, Auggie, of course, stole her seat back.

As they devoured their meal, Janice scribbled like mad on her sheet.  As she checked through the names, she paused, and went back to one of the first ones.  Her eyes widened, and she put her lo mein down on the table.  “Holy shit--oh my God.  We’re idiots.  We’re so dumb, and she’s basically taunting us this whole time?”

Everyone stopped eating to look at Janice.

“It’s not even an anagram!”  Janice stood up and started to pace the room.  “It’s her initials and her last name, at the top of the medium risk page.”

“Janice, did you find out who it is?”  June asked, putting her own food down.

“Her parents don’t even have jobs!  They just have money, and she never gets in trouble, so they’ve never been to school--heck, no one’s ever really met them!”

“Jan, hello?”  Auggie called as she popped a crab rangoon in her mouth.

“Alucard.”  Janice said, waving her hands at her teammates.  “Alucard!  It’s so obvious, but we never saw it because who would check?!  Alucard, also known as Dracula backwards.  Also known as L. U. Card.”

It took the entire room a moment to get what Janice was saying.  Senine had a smile that slowly grew.  “Holy shit, Mount Saint Helen.”

“Jan...”  Faye said, an expression of dawning horror on her face.  “You can’t mean--”

“Lynneth.  Ursula.  Card.  She’s Lanessa.  I’ll need to do more research, but--”

“No.”  Avril said, rather harshly.  She pulled out her phone as she spoke.  Cassie, Gemini, Auggie, Faye, Amber, and Octavian all did the same, a fact that was not lost on Janice, June, or Senine.

“Sorry, what?”

“No, you’re wrong.”  Avril insisted.  She glared right at Janice, even as she texted.  “My girlfriend is NOT Lanessa de Vran Sie.”

“Avril’s right, Jan.”  Faye frowned as she also texted without looking.  “It’s not true and it’s really mean for you to say that.”

“But...”  Janice began, looking to everyone for support.  June looked very slightly panicked, and Senine’s smile had fallen into a frown of intense worry, which was something Janice had not seen on her since the Puppetrix had almost killed Faye.

“But, like, it’s not nice to randomly, like, accuse people of that?”  Amber snapped, finishing her text by thrusting her phone back in her bag.

“Yes, Janice.”  Cassie frowned, and put her own phone down.  “I expected better than something like that.”

“Wow, Jan.”  Gemini said as she stuffed hers into her purse.  “Just wow.”

“I just...but....”

“Hey, Old Smokey.”  Senine stood up.  “Enough’s enough, right?  It’s obviously not true.”

“If even Senine’s saying Lynneth is not evil, then you should pay careful heed.”  Octy let his phone rest on his lap.

“...Who were you guys texting?”  June asked.

“Huh?”  Faye looked over at June.  “Oh!  Steve, I think?  He had a question about the new routines.”

“...And he asked all of you?”  Everyone in the room save for Janice and Senine gave June a blank look at that, as if what she was just impossible to comprehend.

“...Yeah!  Uh, I mean, yeah, totally, Senine.”  Janice said.  “I’m sorry guys, that was just...really rude of me.  I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Avril nodded, and looked as though she was immediately relieved.  “I’m sorry for snapping at you.”

“Yeah, I guess the pressure’s getting to me.”  Janice started for the door.  “I’m gonna take a walk around the building.”

“It’s getting kind of dark.  I’ll walk with you.  You have magic, but you probably shouldn’t hit muggers with maces.”  Senine walked with her.  “June, if the others get out of line, just give a leaderly speech or something.”

“You got it.”  June said, and gave Senine a subtle nod, which the older girl returned.

Avril rolled her eyes.  “I very much doubt we’ll need a leaderly speech while looking at pieces of paper.”

“Hey, you never know, Tuna Melt.”

 

*****

 

Lady Lanessa knocked on the door of Prince Decembren as she opened it.  “My love, are you well?”

Hal was on the bed, hunched over, looking small and defeated for someone tall and muscular.  He looked up at Lanessa said.  “Ah, yeah.  Hey.”

“Oh, my love.”  She glided over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.  “How are you faring?”

“I’m...pretty worn out.”  He sighed.  “Grim’s dead.  I’m bound by my word to never harass June, again.  And I’ve lost two good soldiers, Moal and Jakil.  And...my heart’s been flaring a lot.  I think it’s...not long now.”

“My Prince, listen.”  She sat down next to him.  “I promise, I won’t ever allow you to die.  Your heart belongs to me, and I shall ensure we are never apart.”

He gave her a sad smile.  “Yeah.  You’ve said that before.  And I’m grateful for it, I really am.  But when my star goes...so will I.  There’s not a lot I can do about it.  Maybe...there was nothing I could do about it, all along.”

Lanessa started to say something when she was made aware of her phone, buzzing and chiming rapidly with a large influx of texts.  “Ah, forgive me a moment, darling?”  She said as she took out her phone.

Hal smiled at her.  “Yeah, sure.  I’d actually like a bit more time alone, anyway.”

Lanessa left the bedroom, and checked her phone as she walked down the hall.  Once she saw the general subject of the messages, however, she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Janice?  But....”  Lanessa paused.  She barely had even registered Janice.  She had joined the Rangers--and the student body of the middle school--after her persona had graduated.  She was not a cheerleader, nor did she visit Avril, Senine, or Octavian in high school--at least, not during the short time they were at class and not under siege.  She certainly had not planned to go out of her way for her.

Lanessa had never, ever, mind controlled, nor placed any post-hypnotic suggestions, into Janice Aerie.

She shifted into Lynneth, and quickly typed back to Avril, asking her if Janice was still there.

When the reply came, Lynneth swore and punched the wall, leaving a dent in it when she pulled her hand back.

“Senine.”  She hissed, dropping the guise of Lynneth before even using it.  In a flash of bright blue light, Lanessa was no longer inside the ship.

Moments later, she was flying above Solar City, her cloak changed to the color of the late autumn sky.    Bright blue eyes scanned the ground below with an inhuman degree of accuracy, searching for any sign of her prey.

 

*****

 

“Okay, Lava Flow, that was fucking terrifying.”  Senine said once they were on the ground.  Janice was leading the way, which was towards Solar City Public Library.

“I am so, so glad you saw that, too.”  Janice looked back at Senine.  “D’you think that’s Star Vampire mind control?”

“Probably.  That’s definitely a thing they’re capable of doing.  Fuck...she’s got all of them but June.”

“Yeah, well, when we have proof we can convince them what’s wrong and maybe we can go to Mr. Vember and see if he can remove it.”

“What’s the proof you’re looking for?”

“Well....”  Janice sighed.  “Okay, in my defense, I’m running on vampire logic.  But if we can look at record and photos and accounts...maybe we can find people who look just like her, but with a different name?”

“I got you, the whole ‘an identical girl every generation, mom dies slash goes away forever’ thing.”

“Exactly.  It won’t be much but maybe it’ll be enough to break a bit of the mind control conditioning.”

Janice and Senine got to the bus stop just as the bus to downtown appeared.  They stepped inside right on time to avoid Lanessa de Vran Sie’s terrible gaze.

While on the trip, Janice cast worried looks back at June’s apartment building, until the bus turned, and the building went out of sight.

 

The Solar City Public Library was a medium sized, modern building, composed largely of windows.  It always had a fair number of people in front of it, and inside of it, either to check out books, movies, or games, or to go to their clean and extremely well reviewed cafe, or to look at the fountain and abstract art out front.

Janice was not concerned about any of that, though Senine got a cookie for herself before entering.  She went straight to the least popular section of the library:  the records and periodicals section.

“Okay...I guess we should go year by year and see what we find.”  Janice started pulling records, old newspapers, and aged yearbooks from the mobile shelving units.  “Wait...why do these stop being about Solar City and start being about a place called Sun Springs?”

“That’s the town that was here before Mr. Vember’s wife exploded.  She had the Penumbra last.”

Janice paused for a moment, and then grabbed a specific set of yearbooks from the years before the destruction of Sun Springs.  Unfortunately, the set of yearbooks and records from that point were, largely, either damaged or missing.  Still, she flipped through things, until her eyes widened.  “Oh.  Oh no.”

“What is it oh son of a bitch.” Senine looked over Janice’s shoulder, and saw a picture in the yearbook from just a few years before the late Mrs. Vember’s passing.  The name under it was Laura Sheridan, and the picture was identical to Lynneth Card.

“It’s a  _ Carmilla _ reference, I think.”  Janice put the book down.  “It’s probably not a coincidence that she was here at about the same time a holder of Nemesis was here, and something bad happened to her.”

“Keep looking.”  Senine started to flip through some books as Janice seemed to get another idea, and grabbed a very early newspaper, one of the first from when Sun Springs was settled.

“What’s that for?”

“I’m wondering if this goes all the way back.”  Janice replied.  “I’m going to start from the beginning, you keep going back from modern time?”

“Yeah, sure.  I’m not a super fast researcher like your Thinking Friends--”

“Research Buddies.”

“Yeah, nerds.  But I’ll give it a B- try, which is better than I give school.”

Janice scanned a few old newspapers, and then stopped.  She found an article and said, “Local widow Carmilla Varney donates fortune to development of town”  She held up the ancient, yellowed paper, and in it was an old photograph which, though it was taken with a primitive camera over a hundred and fifty years ago, was obviously a picture of an older Lynneth--probably in her mid thirties, dressed like a southern belle.

“Oh my God.”  Senine said.  “She just uses vampire shit.  All the time.”

“She’s been here for as long as there’s been a town.”  Janice muttered, and then looked at Senine.  “But...what’s it mean?”

“Well, one, she’s an insufferable jerk who I totally, totally called was evil.  And two...she’s made this town for some reason.  She’s got to have a reason for all of this.”  Senine opened an earlier yearbook, about twenty years prior to their first discovery, and found a picture of Lynneth with the name “Lucy Renfield” underneath it.  “She’s always been here.  Why?  What’s so special about this place?”

“You have it backwards, Senine.”

Janice and Senine both looked up, and saw Lynneth was standing in front of them.  “I’m not here because this place is special.”  She walked casually towards them, and then sat on the edge of the table they were working at.  “This place is special because I’m here.”

Senine pushed Janice back and stepped between Lynneth and her.  “I fucking knew you were evil.”

“Oh, really?  Evil?”  Lynneth made a tsking sound.  “I thought you knew better than that, Senine.”

“Let me guess, evil’s a matter of perspective, you’re the good guy even though you’ve been an awful bitch this whole time, blah blah blah join me.”

Lynneth shrugged.  “More or less, but I wasn’t going to say the first part.  Evil is just such a mortal concept.  It’s a very mortal label--and one, I’ve noticed, you limited creatures just absolutely love to apply to everything and anything.  Types of meat, who one finds attractive, body functions, reproduction, certain fabrics...whereas there are people on the street who would say some torture or genocide is completely good and wholesome, even while condemning those things.  Does the word evil really even have any meaning, anymore?”

“...She’s not wrong.”  Janice said from her spot behind Senine.  “Still, you know, the bad guy, but not wrong.”

“Shut up, I know.  No complimenting the enemy on their speeches, Pyroclasma,”  Senine glared at Lynneth.  “What do you want?  Are you here to kill us to keep us from warning the others?”

“Oh, no.  Though, at first, I thought that was exactly what I was going to do.”  Lynneth shrugged.  “I changed my mind, though!  I’m not going to kill you, now.  I just need to accelerate my plans a bit, thanks to you.”  She smiled at Janice, past Senine.  “You did an excellent job, dear.”

Janice felt very patronized, something she was used to, especially when coming from smug white women.  Even though Janice was not sure she was white, or even a woman, the feeling was very much similar.  “Yeah, thanks.”

“I just wanted you to know, before I started, that all I’m going to do is your fault.”  Lynneth looked at her nails, and rubbed them on her blouse.  “I mean, most of it I was going to do, anyway, but now I need to be faster and more brutal than I was going to.  I wanted to break this to her gently, you understand.”

“What’re you going to do?”

Lynneth grinned.  “Oh, you’ll find out.”  She slipped off the table and gave them both a wave.  “I’ll see you two around.”

“Wait!”  Janice pushed forward, past Senine.  “Wait, before you go...Are you Dame Lanessa?”

Lynneth paused, and turned to look at Janice.  There was an odd look on her face, something contemplative and curious.  “I suppose, in a way, one could say that.”

“You used to be a knight, right?!  Why are you doing this?  Shouldn’t you be fighting things and rescuing damsels and all that knight stuff?”

Her expression faded, and then she began to laugh.  “Oh, oh child.  Dame Lanessa is the loam into which I was planted.  Her hollow, empty corpse was my nursery.  Her shell was my childhood cloak.  I am Dame Lanessa in the sense that there is nothing that remains of her that is not me.  The knight is gone, destroyed by Sie, my dread mother.  I am Lanessa only in a mockery of her.  I am seed of Despair, grown in the fallow ruin of what was once a soul.”

Lanessa who was Lynneth vanished in a flash of bright blue.

Janice stood there for a moment, and then Senine gently shook her, and she came back to her senses.

“We need to get back to the others.  Now.”

“Just a sec.”  Janice pulled out her phone and took a high quality picture of each of the pictures.  “Okay.  Let’s go.”

 

*****

 

“They sure are taking a while.”  Auggie said, checking her phone.

Avril sighed.  “It’s probably my fault.  She’s probably worried I’m still mad at her.”

June watched everyone very carefully, and then said, “Aren’t you guys a little weirded out by how quickly you guys pounced on her?  You were all really harsh, really quickly.  You kind of ganged up on her.”

“She accused my girlfriend of being a monster.”

“Yeah, and, Lynneth’s one of my best friends!”  Faye looked closely at June.  “You don’t...believe her, do you?”

“I don’t know one way or the other.  But you guys, all at the same time, started berating her.  At the same time you did that, every single one of you took out your phones and texted someone.”

“...Like, no we didn’t?”  Amber said.

“I think we would have remembered that, June.  Do you feel well?”  Cassie started to stand.  “You were very drained from your fight.”

“Okay, but, humor me.”  June stood up and looked at her friends.  “I want all of you to get your phones out, and look at who you texted at...”  June checked her phone.  “I guess around five?”

“If it will make you feel better, June, I suppose I can indulge.”  Octavian took his phone out and scrolled through its logs.  His eyes widened.  “But...I don’t remember texting Lynneth.  I seem to have erased the message but the fact that I did is still recorded.”

Cassie looked up from her phone to give June a worried glance.  “The same thing has happened to me.”

“Me, too.”  Auggie frowned.

“...Like...”  Amber dropped her phone.  “Like, it hurts to think about.  Like, it’s....”

“Blocked.”  Gemini put her hands on her temples.  “Like we’re trying to reach something we aren’t supposed to.”

Faye looked at Avril, who was staring in shock at her phone.  “Avvy, are you...”

“I did it twice.  And I...she.”  Avril looked up at June.  “She...”

“You guys are acting like you’re hypnotised or something.”  June put her hand on Avril’s shoulder.  “But Senine and I weren’t really affected, and I don’t think Lynneth’s ever had much contact with Janice.  Stuff like that doesn’t work very well on Senine--remember how she just broke free of the Puppetrix’s really strong puppeting?”

“But she...”  Avril suddenly held her head and let out a cry of pain.  June knelt next to her.

“She’s been around you the most.  And it’s hurting you the most.”  She looked to her friends.  “I’m going to say it again, but I want you to try very hard to not say anything back, okay?”

They nodded.  Avril nodded, even though her head was hurting.

“Also, here.”  June removed the mugs from the tray Octavian had used for the hot cocoa and passed it around.  “Put all your phones on this.  I’m going to hide them, and we’ll see if you try to look for them or reach for them.  That’ll prove it’s a hypnotic response.  I think.”

June collected the phones, and took them back to her room, where she stuffed the whole tray under her bed.  She came out and close her door, walking back to everyone else.  “Okay, so.  Is everyone ready?”

She got a collection of concerned nods and murmurs of assent.  June took a deep breath and said, “Lynneth Ursula Card is Lanessa de Vran Sie.”

“June that’s awful!”  Faye said, and then immediately clapped one hand over her mouth, while the other reached for her phone, and did not find it.

Avril resisted saying anything, but she did start to get up and go to June’s room.  June stepped in front of her.

“Where are you going, Avril?”

“I’m just...”  Avril paused.  “I was going for my phone.  To text...someone?  Oh.”  Avril dropped to her knees.  “Oh no.”

“I feel..really really nervous, Junie.”  Auggie said.  “Like I’m doing something wrong.”

Faye was now hugging Avril.  Avril was crying.  “I thought she loved me.  But.  But she was using me.  I was...probably spying on all of you.  Through her.”

“As were we all.”  Cassie looked over at Gemini, starting to say something, and saw that Gemini was shaking.  She looked up at her twin and it became obvious that she was sobbing.

“I...I remember.  In the bathroom.  She....”  Gemini looked down at her lap.  “I knew about her.  Cassie, in the forest.  With the robot jester.”

And then, Cassie was crying and shaking.  “Oh.  Yes.  She...She was talking about.  Touching me.  Lanessa.  Lynneth.”

“I was there, and I saw, and I was going to show you.”  Gemini hugged her sister tightly.  “I wanted to show you to make up for being so awful to you but she took my mind instead.”

Cassie hugged her back.  “I’m so sorry, Gemini.”

“I’ve...”  Octavian sounded a bit stunned.  “I’ve lived out of the state, out of the country, in some cases.  I’ve had barely a scosche of contact with her, and yet...myself, as well.”

Amber’s hands were shaking.  “She was, like, like...she was, like, an inspiration?  She, like...like...was one of the reasons, like, I became a better person?  And, like, it was all...all, like, a lie and like like she even gave me a speech!  Like, a speech on, like...like not being able to show, like, your true self!  And I never, like...I never, like even suspected.”

“None of you could have suspected.”  June said.  “None of you were capable of challenging whatever she told you.  That’s not your fault.  It’s hers.  She’s been playing us--all of us!  She’s been playing every single one of us this entire time, but now we know.”

The door opened, then, and in came Janice and Senine.  Senine took one look at the group and then at June.  “Let me guess, you convinced them?”

June nodded.  “Yeah.  You guys find anything?”

“Yep.  We found a lot.”  Janice looked up at Senine, and then back at the others.  “Including Lanessa.  She talked to us and she knows we know.  She says...she says she’s going to start her plan.  Now.”

“But..the Despair Hunters are half a week away!”  Auggie did not move from where she was, which was now holding Amber.

“And she probably knows that.”  Senine strode across the room.  “We need to call Mr. Vember.  Now.  Something bad’s going to happen and it’s probably got to do with you, June.  She was here, before Leah’s mom went boom.”

June’s blood went cold.  “Oh.  Oh, no.”

 

*****

 

“Layon!”  Lanessa de Vran Sie said as she charged into the infirmary.  Layon looked up from where she had been, next to Shryk, still.  Wreqluze was across the infirmary and was testing Shryk’s life support system.

“Yes, my Lady?”  A knot twisted in her stomach.  For a moment, she wondered if her Lady knew about her plan.

“Gather your soldiers, while I gather the Prince.”  Lanessa gave her a cruel smirk.  “It’s time.”


	20. Episode 20:  XVI

Lady Lanessa walked into Hal’s room, and found him staggering for the door.  He fell to his knees, and taking deep breaths.  His entire room was on fire, and the heat washing off of him was substantially greater than before.

“M-my love, stay back!”  He managed to gasp, and then put a hand on his chest.  He let out a scream of pain, and toppled to the ground.

Lanessa knelt next to him.  “Oh, it’s happening sooner than I had imagined.  Oh, poor, poor Prince.”  Her voice was soft but also a little chiding.  “If only one of those efforts to keep your star stable had worked.  If only one of them had saved you, given you a bit more time.  Unfortunately, I needed you hungry and desperate.”

He gave her a look of utter incomprehension.  “I don’t...”  It was broken when he screamed with pain and toppled over once again.

“I’m the viper in your bosom, dear--oh, was that insensitive, given the loss of Grim?  Ah, well.  He’d served his purpose, much as you are about to.”  Lanessa trailed a finger down Hal’s chest.  “Mmmm, I can feel it.  All of that beautiful, lovely light, pouring from you.  Your star is moments away from going nova, and when it does, your heart will expel a lethal amount of energy.  If it’s in your body at the time, you and much of the ship will be destroyed.”

Hal could barely hear her.  He could feel his star heart flare inside him, and all of his concentration was shattered by pain.

“But don’t worry, my love.”  Lanessa cooed.  “I promised you, didn’t I?  I wouldn’t let you die.  We’ll be together forever.”  She kissed him.  His lips burned, and would have charred her to a crisp, were she made of flesh.  She pulled away slightly, and then shoved her hand, now a talon of smoke and blue light, bloodlessly into his chest.  “And your heart belongs to me.”

Hal’s eyes went wide, and then glassy and unfocused.  Lanessa pulled a brilliant white light from his chest, one that was nearly blinding, and drowned out all else in the room.  She reached to her one chest, and shoved it inside.

Color flared into her cloak for a moment, going from black to blue and grey to red and silver, before shifting back to normal.  Lanessa gave a happy, content sigh, and a small cloud of plasma escaped her lips.

Hal was still, on the floor.  His body was unmarked, save for some burns.  His breaths were shallow, now, but they were also regular, and his pulse steady.

“You’ll be fine until I’m finished, my love.”  Lanessa straightened her gloves, and then knelt next to him, putting a hand on his cheek.  “As I promised, I will keep you alive forever.  Your heart will be safe, and your body will be preserved in stasis.  You will be my most prized possession.”

Before leaving the room, she walked to the Prince’s charred nightstand and opened it.  She removed the crystal she had given him from it, walked over to him, and placed it into his pocket.

She left the room, and found Layon waiting for her.  “Oh, Layon!  What have you to report?”

“My soldiers have been marshalled, my Lady.  Where is the Prince?”

“In here.”  Lanessa patted her chest.  “And in there.  Take his body to the infirmary and get him an IV, would you?  I’d like him to stay in good condition.  Tell your soldiers to stand by for now.  After my next task, I may need a bit of a feast, just to be completely prepared for the final stages of my plan.”  Lanessa shuddered, suddenly, her eyes closing.  She bit her lip and opened them.  “Oooh, perhaps not, though.  Bellasar just detonated.  It feels exquisite.  Right now, I’m siphoning a ridiculous amount of power from one of the most destructive natural forces in the Universe.  But I still may need topped off.  Anyway!  Make sure the Prince is well taken care of, and, oh, there’s no need to mention exactly what I need your people for, so be a dear and don’t tell them?”

Layon twitched.  “Yes, my Lady.”

“Excellent.  I knew I could count on you, Layon.”  Lanessa summoned a sword identical to Hal’s, save it was grey, with bright blue trim, and inspected it for a moment before dispelling it.  Then, she held out her hand.  Into it, she summoned a staff, composed of two intertwined pieces.  The fronts of both of the twisted shafts had small holes, each about mouth size.  One of the parts of it was a bright blue, and the other grey.  The staff was topped by a cloudy, crystal orb.

“Are you..going to battle, my Lady?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a battle, exactly.  That implies some amount of risk on my part.”  Lanessa winked at Layon.  “Anyway!  I’ll leave you in command, here.”  With that, the star vampire disappeared.

Layon paused only a moment before entering the Prince’s room.  She picked him up, and, instead of going to the med bay, took him, instead, to the teleporter.  She keyed up a few location, scrolling through the ones Hal had favorited, and pressed a button, sending him down to the planet below.

She then walked to the infirmary.  Shryk was just being lowered into her shell when she arrived.

“Wreqluze.  Shryk.”  Layon took a deep breath and steadied herself before saying, “It’s time.”

 

*****

 

“Mr. Vember?”  June said on her phone, still in the living room of her apartment.  Everyone in the room was getting ready--putting on shoes and jackets, sorting out phones, and wolfing down food as fast as possible.

“Yes, June?  What is it?”

“We’ve found out who Lanessa is and she’s going to be trying something very soon.”  June said as she pulled her coat on.  “We’re coming over right now.”

“...Yes.”  Mr. Vember said.  “I suppose she is.”

“...Mr. Vember?”

“June, stay away from the Tower.  Regroup elsewhere.  I’m...sorry.”

The phone went dead.

 

*****

 

Mr. Vember was standing in his office.  He slowly put his phone down.

Lanessa de Vran Sie, who was sitting on the edge of his desk, rolled her eyes.  “Really, Novias, you don’t have to worry about making sudden movements.”

“Lanessa.  Can I help you?”

“Oh, so polite!”  She grinned.  “Yes, you can.”

Leah stepped into the room, not looking.  She started to say, “Dad, Julius is down in the park to pick me up.  Before I go, I’ve gotten a call back from that therapist and I--”

Leah stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Lanessa.

The star vampire waved at her with her staff.

“Leah, go to Julius and get away from here.  Find the girls, keep them safe.”

“Dad--”

“GO, Leah!”  Her father shouted.  “Go, now.”

“Okay.  I....I love you, Dad.”  Leah said, and then ran for the entrance.

“Aw, that was touching!  Familial love is such an interesting light, it has an intriguing radiance.”  Lanessa pushed off her staff to stand, and turned to face Mr. Vember.  “Of course, I’ve never really had a use for it.  My sisters did, but it’s always just seemed like a waste of light to me.”

Novias stood, and summoned his sword.  “That’s the Flute of the Crimson Knights, is it not?”

Lanessa grinned.  “More or less.  In truth, it’s a shell of it, as the flute itself was hollowed when Mother claimed its wielder, much as I--or, rather, Dame Lanessa--was.”

“...I know your plan.”  Mr. Vember said with a tremor in his voice.

“No, you don’t.  You know the means, I imagine, but not the ends.”  Lanessa summoned her corrupted Nova Saber in her empty hand, and pointed it at Mr. Vember.  “But that’s a topic for later.  Right now, I have a support network to cut off.  No hard feelings.”

“None taken.”  Mr. Vember’s sword pointed at Lanessa, now.  “Anything I can do to hinder you will only help the girls in stopping you, later.”

Lanessa cackled.  “Oh!  How noble!  In truth, Novias, it won’t.  I have a ship full of morsels to top off on, and I have within me a star in nova.”  She stepped forward, staff in one hand and sword in the other.  “But yes, the girls.  You should be proud of them.  You’ve done far better for my June than you did your wife.  Poor dear.  All that testing and tempering and she just couldn’t cut it.”

Novias’s eyes widened.  “What are you--”

“June wasn’t my first attempt.  To be completely honest, she’s not even my fifth attempt!  But I’ve learned from all of them, and you can take solace that your wife did not die in vain.  Her death gave me an important lesson.  And through it, it gave me June.”

Mr. Vember teleported so that he was behind Lanessa.  He stabbed his sword forward, but Lanessa pivoted and blocked the blade with practiced easy.  He summoned another sword in his other hand, and stabbed with that as well, which was deflected by her staff.

Lanessa pressed the attack, now, slashing mostly with her sword, and reserving her staff to block.  She pushed him into the staircase, and immediately found her wide, heavy sword and staff were ill suited to its cramped walls.  

Novias’s swords, however, were perfectly suited to the narrow space.  He stabbed at her with a very rapid speed for an older man, and immediately pushed Lanessa onto the defensive.  She dropped her sword and instead used her staff with both hands, blocking him as best she could.  He pushed her slowly up the stairs, his onslaught unrelenting.

“You know, I do love fighting you mortals like this.”  Lanessa mused.  “It’s always so entertaining how limited your view of a fight is.”

Mr. Vember did not respond, and instead stabbed out, managing to graze Lanessa’s cheek.   A gash opened on it, but no blood came from the wound.

“For example...”  Lanessa raised her staff with both hands and brought it down in a heavy strike.  Mr. Vember blocked the attack with both swords, pressing against her horrific strength with a surprising display of his own.

His eyes then went wide, and his grip slack.

Lanessa’s stolen sword had been thrust through his chest.  It was wielded by a third hand, one that was a dark talon made of grey smoke and blue light.  His swords vanished, and he stared down at the sword, and then back up at Lanessa.

Lanessa reach into her chest with a fourth arm.  “Oh, no, now that your star’s free, I don’t think I can allow it to be reincarnated just yet.”  She ripped a lavender light from his chest, and then pressed it into herself.  Her body seemed to shudder for a moment, and then returned to normal.

Mr. Vember’s body collapsed in front of her.  She grinned down at his lifeless form, and then her whole body began to crackle with blue light.

 

*****

 

Veracity Jones sat in one corner of the Shining Stars tour van, which was now up on the far northwestern corner of Canada.  She idly removed cards from her deck, and then shuffled them at the bottom.

“Ms. Kerberuuuuus.”  Kismet, near the front of the van, whined.  “I’m hungry.”

“Yeah.”  Destiny said from her spot next to her.  “Let’s get a burger.”

“You’re on a diet, girls.”  Ms. Kerberus said without looking.  “You can have a six inch sub.  No burgers.”

“Boooooo.”  Both twins said at once. “Diets suck, Ms. K.”

Veracity thought, idly, back to the other Stellar Rangers.  She missed Senine, even though they were not dating, and had not even done so much as held hands.  She drew a card, and then froze.  Even without looking at it, she knew which card it was.

The sixteenth major arcana, often associated with catastrophes and destruction, coupled with change.  She also knew that this card, featuring a tower, hovering over a park, collpasing from a blue light, with a huge, blue eye watching down like a malevolent sun, was horribly, terrifyingly literal.

 

*****

 

June was across town, waiting at the bus stop with the others, when Gemini collapsed.  There was only a few, terrible seconds to contemplate this before she saw, over the city’s meager skyline, a bright blue flash.  

When her eyes had refocused, she saw that the Tower was falling.  She could see, even from here, the blue flames lapping away at the entirety of the structure.  She saw it split in half from a massive gash in its side, and saw parts of it rip away under a powerful blue glow in its center.

The glow flashed again, and June felt the wave of heat wash over her as the Tower detonated, its halves consumed in a blue fire.

Then, as though time caught back up to her, the Tower fell to the earth, out of view, with a heavy crashing noise that she heard, even from here.

She and her friends watched in stunned silence.  No one knew what to say.  No one knew if there was anything they could say.

Then, Gemini sat up with a deep, sucking breath.  There were tears in her eyes as she looked to her friends and said, “He’s.  He’s gone.  Vember...Mr. Vember.  She killed him, and she....she took his star heart.”

Faye stared at her for a moment, at first not comprehending.  And then her expression slowly fell into a look of absolute and total crushing sadness.  She fell to her knees and began to sob.

Senine put her hand over her mouth, and tried very, very hard not to cry.  Avril grabbed her in a hug, and suddenly, Senine could not longer resist it.

June watched where the tower had been since she had arrived in Solar City.  She remembered marveling at it from out of the car window.  She remember how excited she had been, and how welcoming Mr. Vember had been.  She remember how he had talked her down, when the Penumbra was put in charge by the Puppetrix.  She remembered how he had insisted that she had a choice, when she had almost surrendered to fatalism.

But she did not feel sad.

“She’s going to pay.”  June growled.  Black and white sparks flared around her.  “Lanessa de Vran Sie is going to pay.”

 

*****

 

Lanessa de Vran Sie appeared back on the Prince’s ship--though, she supposed, it was her ship now.  She walked through the corridors, her staff at her side, and eyed some of the tapestries.  She reached out and touched one, displaying a beautiful countryside on Bellasar Prime, in silvers and reds.

The colors and images twisted and warped.  It was the same countryside, now twisted and warped by flame.  The silvers had deepened to greys, and the reds had lightened into blues.

She would need to do a lot of redecorating, she supposed.  She wandered the empty halls, trailing her hands along the walls.  In her wake, the ship’s colors shifted, and the images changed, similarly.  And every symbol of the Red Sun of Bellasar was replaced by bright blue flowers with oddly triangular petals.

Her cloak changed, as well, becoming grey with bright blue accents, including the clasps, which were now Blue Stars of Mourning.  

She passed a depiction of the Prince’s family tree, and turned to face it, oddly contemplative.  She waved a hand, and it was suddenly a very different image.  At the top was a shadowy, darkened mass with a vague resemblance to a person.  This image was full of stars, and had, in place of its eyes, a pair of prominent, especially large stars--one bright blue and one dark grey.

Below that, there were three offshoots--a drama mask that was laughing and crying at the same time, a clawed, warped talon, and a twisted, warped heart.  The heart and the mask both had a number of branches, but they were just represented with alien text. 

Below the talon, however, were two things.  One was a broad smile full of sharp teeth, depicted such that the teeth were not closed and the top and bottom jaw were not connected.  Next to it, and more prominently displayed--larger and more detailed, in fact, than literally anything else on the tapestry, was a large, blue eye.

Lanessa grinned, and continued down the hall.  She stopped at the med bay, and peeked inside.  “Layon?  I’ve--”

The med bay was empty of both Layon and also Hal.  Lanessa’s smile faded.  It was only then that she realized that she did not feel Layon’s presence at all.  Neither did she sense Wreqluze, or Shryk.  She only sensed a few, faint, burning feelings, like candles rather than the bonfire within the generals.

She snapped her fingers, and was in the location she had sensed.

It was, in a word, a slaughterhouse.

This had been one of the barracks for the Savage Star troops.  Someone had come through here and torn the soldiers apart, ripping them limb from limb with such speed and strength that some did not even have the chance to stand up.  Lanessa suspected the other barracks would show her the same thing.

Frowning, she knelt down to the source of the feeling, which was a single soldier, still in his uniform.  A heavy claw had ripped through his chest, and he was holding his entrails in as he half-kneeled, half-leaned against another, broken soldier.

“What happened here?”  She asked him.  He coughed, and tried to salute, but failed.

“M-my Lady, it was Layon.  She attacked us.  Tore us to shreds.  I don’t know...who else is there.  If anyone else....”

Lanessa’s eyes narrowed.  She reached out, and drained away all the light he had left.  It was a quick death, but not a purposefully merciful one.

In a flash of blue, Lanessa was in the Officer’s Lounge.  Shryk and Layon were here, curled around each other on Lanessa’s loveseat.  Both of them were impaled on a long, sharp, metal spear.

In Layon’s hand was a message crystal, much like the one Lanessa had given Hal only a few months ago.  Lanessa took it, and activated it.

An image of Layon appeared in the surface of the crystal.  “My Lady, I have betrayed you, and taken that which belongs to you by right.  The lives of myself, and those of the entirety of the Savage Stars.  With it, our hearts have moved on, to reincarnate.  And not to empower you.”

Lanessa nearly destroyed the crystal, but controlled herself enough to watch the rest of the message.

“I know you want a ship, my Lady.  And you have your pick of two, at the moment.  But not for long.  My Shryk, and Wreqluze have engineered the power cores of both ships to overload.  Don’t worry, my Lady.  The Prince is safe.  You, however.

“Even if this won’t kill you, you very much are not.”

 

*****

 

June’s abject rage, her complete and total focus on the death of Lanessa de Vran Sie, was interrupted when the sky exploded.

A massive ball of yellow light filled the sky, making the evening sky briefly return to day.  The chill autumn air became, for one brief moment, unbearably hot.  The clouds were cleared from the sky, and nearby windows shattered from the blast.  Every single car alarm was going off.

And then, a moment later, before her light-sensitive eyes could recover, it happened again.

When the roaring and heat ended, June was rubbing her eyes and cursing.

“What was that?”  Janice asked.  “Some sort of...”

“Explosion.”  Octavian said with a frown.  “Yes.  Hal’s ship, I imagine.  Perhaps that was his star, finally claiming him.”

“No.”  Gemini said.  “I saw when I was there for Mr. Vember.”  She sniffled, and wiped her tears away.  “His star is in Lanessa.”

“Then it was something else.  Lanessa’s explosions are blue.  Like those flowers.”  June frowned.  “Whatever that means.”

“If we are very lucky.”  Cassie said, having held herself together better than most, but still, not very well.  “It’s something that’s hindered her, rather than helped her.”

“I don’t think this is a very lucky day.”  June said, eyes still pointed up.

“No.  Not at all.”

 

*****

 

“Dad?”  Leah called as she climbed other a shattered chunk of the Tower, sweeping the emergency flashlight from Julius’s trunk across the charred landscape.  She was moving through the park, which was now a burning, blasted mess, unrecognizable from what it had been.  Leah’s voice was frantic and her movements quick.  “Dad!”

“Leah, stop!”  Julius shouted, climbing after her.

“No!  I need to find Dad.”  Leah stepped past a piece of the roof, with half the brooding bench still attached to it and burning with that horrible blue flame.  “Dad!  Can you hear me?”

“It’s too dangerous to be here!”  Julius ran to her and took her by the arm.  “We don’t know what this fire can do, Leah.  We need to get going and we need to do it quickly.”

“If Dad was dead!”  Leah turned to Julius.  “If he was dead, then I’d...I’d have awakened, wouldn’t I?  My star.  He can’t be dead because his seal is still holding.  So I’m going to find him, Julius.  I’m going to find my dad and if you aren’t going to help then I need you to leave.”

“I...”  Julius did not say anything else.  He stepped past her and shouted, “Mr. Vember?!  Are you here?  Are you hurt?!”

“Dad?!”  Leah moved deeper into the destroyed park.  She did not care that she heard firetrucks and police sirens--she doubted they could do much against the blue flame, anyway.  She pushed her way past them the wreckage, and to the center of the park.

There was a figure, lying against the fountain.  Leah’s eyes went wide, and she rushed forward, nearly tripping on a flagstone, before she stopped in her tracks.

Wreqluze was there.  She was missing her top left arm, and was bleeding a dark blue color.  As Leah came closer, she looked to her and smiled.  “Hello.  I’m afraid...I cannot offer you any tea, at the moment.”

“You’re a Savage Star.  Wreqluze.”  Leah started to advance, but then stopped.  “Are you..alright?”

“No, I’m afraid...that I am dying.”  Wreqluze lifter her dress a little, exposing a nasty claw wound to her chest.  “It shan’t be long now, I fear.  I simply...I wanted to die somewhere a little better than that ship.  I wanted to die near that pretty fountain I had seen.”

“Sit still.”  Leah ran for her and knelt down.  “I can try to bind your wounds.”

“No, dear.  But thank you.”  Wreqluze smiled.  “If I live, she will find me, and she will be able to claim my star at a moment’s notice, adding my power to her own, as she did your father.  And she does not need to worry about it burning out.  I won’t have that on my conscience.  I would rather die and be free than live at the chance of being her eternal slave.”

Leah’s blood ran cold.  “My...father?”

Wreqluze nodded.

Julius ran up to them, now.  “I don’t know what’s going on but I managed to intimidate an EMT into giving me a first aid kit.”

“Aren’t you sweet!”  Wreqluze gave him a warm smile.  “He’s a keeper, Leah.  You’d do well to keep him around.  I never had time for love.  I wonder...I wonder if I shall love in the next life?”

“Wreqluze, you mentioned my father.  What happened to my father?”

“Ah, yes.  She has killed him, surely.  I’m so sorry, dear.  She has killed him and she took his heart, before he could fully die.  All of his magic remains, so long as she holds it.”  Wreqluze’s many eyes lost some of their focus.  “I’m sorry, for everything I’ve done, as her servant.  I simply...I was young and my powers had not awoken.  And she woke them for me, or else I would have perished in soul, languishing in a loveless, lightless prison for a crime my forefathers and foremothers committed.  I saw light, and freedom...but never love.  I think, perhaps, she feasted solely on that light, when she consumed mine.  To keep me...hungry.  Wanting more.  Unsatisfied.”

“We can save you.  You can use your powers to hide from her.”  Leah opened the first aid kit.

“No.  You cannot.  I’m sorry, Young Mistress Vember.  Do forgive me, won’t...”

Wreqluze’s head lolled to the side, and her motion stopped.

Leah just stared down at her broken form.  Julius put an arm around her shoulder.

“We need to find the girls.”  Leah said as she held back her tears and her grief.  “They’ll need...I don’t know what they’ll need that we can give them.  But they’ll need something.”

“Maybe a ride.”  He looked down at her.  “I’ll drive, we can get the van.”

“Right.  Yes.”  Leah said as she looked at the broken girl below her, and felt a turbulent well of anger and grief build inside of her, tempered by a strong, steady feeling of determination that she would, somehow, make some of this, even if it was just a small part of it, right.

 

*****

 

“Okay.”  June said as she turned to face her friends.  “The bus is coming up the street.  The plan is, we go to the park and see if Leah and Julius are there, since Gemini says they’re still alive.”

Gemini nodded.  “Yeah.  No one else died, then.  I would’ve taken them if they had.”

“Right.  Then, we find a place that’s defensible.  I don’t know where that is, though, because that’s why I wanted to go to the tower in the first place.  We need to make a plan so we can take her out for good.”  June looked at her phone, which was, unfortunately, reading zero bars.  “I guess one of the explosions knocked out a tower or it’s causing interference or something, so we can’t use our phones to keep in contact.  Everyone stay together.”

“I’m a little worried about all these people.”  Auggie gestured down the street.  After the explosions, people had started to pile out on the street, looking out windows and staring at the sky.  The tornado warning alarm had gone off, and then the air raid warning, and then a warning no one had ever even heard tested, but that Amber had guessed was a flood warning siren.

“Like, what, ogling us to death?”

“No, of being underfoot if we have to fight.”

“Oh.”

June’s frown deepened.  “Octy, do you think you could send a message to Malcolm?  Maybe tell him to post to stay inside?  I ask, before remembering that phones don’t work.”

The bus pulled up behind them.  June said, “Okay, everyone keep your eyes peeled and stick together.  If they don’t have seats, we’ll stand in a--”

As she turned, she saw that, sitting on top of the bus with her legs crossed, was Lanessa de Vran Sie.

“Hello, June!”  She said with a smile that was just a little manic.  “I do hope I’m not interrupting your little meeting with your friends.  However, it’s been a very busy day for both of us with a few two many ups and downs, and I think it’s about time we conclude our business together, don’t you?”


	21. Episode 21:  The Triumph of Lanessa de Vran Sie

“Lanessa!”  June snarled.  Immediately, she pulled the Penumbra from her chest, and entered her Penumbral form.  Everyone else also drew their weapons, and stepped into fighting stances.  She felt wrong, now.  She felt worse than the Puppetrix had at the end, like a twisted, sickly wound in the Universe, a font of everything horrible, condensed into a single creature.

Lanessa rolled her eyes.  The bus under her had not moved, as the driver, and everyone in it, was asleep.  “Really, June, that’s no way to greet someone.  What would your parents--Oh, sorry, Mr. Vember--oh, wait, he’s gone to.  Your brother?  I believe I haven’t killed him, though, really, who can tell with so much collateral damage?”

June growled, and reached for her strings.  Lanessa did not look impressed.

“Are you certain you want this bus on your conscience?  I’m not even attacking, June.”

Amber’s rifle cracked, but before it could hit her, Lanessa vanished in a cloud of haze and distortion, reappearing on the sidewalk in front of them.  “Tsk, Amber.  After I got you on the cheerleading team!”

Amber aimed again, but Auggie lowered her arm.

“Your girlfriend is so smart, Amber.  Really, probably out of your league?  Auggie has all sorts of admirers, to be slumming it with you.”

“What do you want, Lanessa?”  Senine asked, stepping up next to June.

“Oh!  Yes, thank you for reminding me.”  Lanessa looked at June.  “I would like the Penumbra, please.”

June stared at her.  “I can’t give it.”

“Of course you can.  I have a vessel for it.”  Lanessa summoned her staff.  “And I’ve conditioned, molded, and tempered you such that you have unprecedented level of control of the Penumbra.  If anyone can pass it to another, you can.”  She beamed at June, something that made her feel very, very uncomfortable.

“What do you mean...molded?”  June was positive she did not want to know this.  Her anger was still there, but there was also a cold knot of dread inside of her.

“I made you, June.  Sure, you were born an accident of the universe, just another child who happened to be born at the same time the previous holder of the Penumbra and Nemesis had died..but you were always special.  Born on the same planet as the previous holder--the same region, even.  Do you know how astronomically unlikely that is?”

Lanessa moved around the group as she was talking, gesturing wildly with her staff.  “So I took a special interest in you, and, unlike the previous attempts, I was determined to make things right.  That’s why, before you could wake up fully, I introduced you to the concept of loss.”

June’s eyes went wide. “What are you--”

“Oh, Vinnie.  He was careless, yes.  And your human machines are so..easy.”  Lanessa shrugged.  “Honestly, June, Vinnie just needed a very, very slight push and a slightly malfunctioning car.  He wasn’t the person who killed your parents, he was just an instrument.  I did it.  To help you.”

“ _ Help _ me?!”  June said as anger pushed against shock.  She was ready to play a chord, ready to blast this fragment of Despair to nothing.

“Yes!  Look at everything you’ve survived because I murdered them!  Baron Stellos--oh, I’m responsible for him, too, by the way, the Savage Stars, the Puppetrix--which wasn’t mine, by the way, and now, the death of your mentor and the destruction of your safe place.”  Lanessa sighed.  “I’m so proud of you.  A lesser person of your mantle would have exploded a very long time ago, or at least, have been consumed by their powers.  But you...you’ve become so beautiful and strong.”

June growled, and lifted her hand slightly.

Lanessa snapped her fingers.

June stopped when she saw her friends--all of them except for Janice and Senine--go blank faced and glassy-eyed, with a vague, dreamy smile on their faces.  “But...”  June lowered her hand.  “But we broke your control.”

“Why on earth would you think you’ve done that, just because you got rid of a command or two?”  Lanessa said, leaning on her staff.  “You’ve unraveled parts of it, but their minds are mine, June.  I’ve been in them too long, and I’ve killed the one person who could undo it.”

Senine summoned her hammer and approached Lanessa with it raised.  “Put them back.  Now.”

“No?  Why would I do that?  Because you’ve got a big scary hammer?”  Lanessa summoned Hal’s sword in her off hand.  “You two were nearly evenly matched, yes?  I have the full measure of his power, and I’m stronger still beyond that.  Stand down, Senine.  I’d hate to have to kill you in front of June.”

Senine glared, but did not attack.  Lanessa walked right past her, patting her on the shoulder as she went.

“See, June, I could do the same thing the Puppetrix did, and force them to try to kill each other, and they’ll do it with a smile.”  She walked right up to June.  “But I’m not going to.  You’re going to give me the Penumbra.”

Janice was gently shaking Gemini.  “C’mon, Gemma, snap out of it.”  She mumbled.  Gemini was not responsive.

“No.  I’m not.”  June began, and looked like she was about to say something when Lanessa cut her off.

“You want a duel, of course.  If I win, I claim the Penumbra and wake up your friends.  If you win, I wake up your friends and you force me to vow to leave here and never come back, or kill myself, or something.”  Lanessa sighed.  “It’s always duels with you, isn’t it?  You’re still riding on the one victory you have, and you think that, with the Penumbra, you can take me.”

June paused, and then nodded.  “Yeah.  That’s about it.”

“Oh, June, that’s adorable.”  Lanessa walked away, sending her sword away and snapping her fingers as she went.  The Junior Rangers and Octavian snapped into awareness as though they had not lost any time at all.

“Jan.  Why are you shaking me?”

“You got mind controlled, Gemma.  Everyone did.”

When Janice said this, Faye, Auggie, Cassie, Avril, and Octy shared concerned looks.

“Oh, but, before we duel for the fate of the Penumbra, aren’t you going to ask?”

June blinked.  “Ask what?”

“Well, I want the Penumbra.”

“Yes?  And?”

Lanessa waited with patient excitement.

Faye thought for a second, and then said, “Oh!  Why?”

“Faye!  Thank you.”

“I...Oh.”  Faye frowned.  “I didn’t want to make you happy.”

“And yet, you did.”

“It’s the Penumbra.”  June said.  “It’s the most powerful weapon in the Universe.”

“Yes.”

“...I assumed that’s why?”

Lanessa shook her head.  “Oh, no.  It’s also the greatest power source in the Universe.  It’s connected to a nigh-limitless supply of raw, primal light, as well as true darkness or anti-light or pure night--whatever you want to call it.  I’m going to syphon power from it for...oh, about forever, I would say.”

“So, like...that’s, like, the plan?  You’re, like,  going to, like, eat it?”

“Oh Amber, that’s so charmingly dumb of you!  Yes and no.  With that much power, my natural abilities will be greatly augmented.”  Lanessa sighed happily.  “Normally, I have to be right next to someone in order to drain them.  However, once I’ve devoured its light, I’ll be able to maintain a link with someone else, and drain their power slowly over time.  Constantly, wherever I am.  I’ll find everyone on this planet with a power star, and link myself to them, draining them to...oh, just about normal human level.  They won’t have their magic anymore, as it will be constantly feeding into me.  Forever.  Even when they die, their heart will be linked to mine.

“And then, when those Despair Hunters arrive, I’ll devour them, too, and use their ship to leave this planet, growing stronger with absorbed light and the Penumbra every day.  I’ll go to every single place where someone has a power star, and I’ll mark them with my brand, too.  Over the decades, the centuries, even maybe millenia, I will mark every single person capable of magic in the entire Universe.  I will have an unlimited supply of light, constantly, forever.  I’ll surpass my Grandmother, surpass my Mother, and I will be a goddess-- **_the_ ** goddess.  All power will come solely through me, and my complete and total control of all light.”

“But....you have never had the Penumbra before.”  Cassie said.  “How...how do you know that any of that is possible?”

“Oh, it’s easy, really.”  Lanessa held up her staff.  “This used to have Penumbral energies in it, but, unfortunately, I ate all of them up a very long time ago.”

“...Wait, could that be...”  Octavian said, purposefully leaving a dramatic pause.  “Dame Lanessa’s flute?”

“The one and the same.”  Lanessa clapped her hands together.  “So, is this when someone tells me my plan’s insane and would never work?  I think this is typically that point.”

“No.”  June said with narrowed eyes.  “This is when I kill you.”

“Sigh.  Children.”  Lanessa snapped her fingers, and the ones who had been mind controlled went vacant, again.

“Wait.  Wait wait wait.”  Janice pointed to the others.  “Did you wake them up just to explain your master plan to them?”

“Yes!  They’re going to be part of it, after all, it would be rude to not tell them.”

June growled, and lowered her pick to her guitar, again.  Lanessa floated up, into the sky a few dozen feet off the ground, in front of June.

“Oh, did you want to begin?”  Lanessa did not look terribly worried about this prospect.

“Wait.”  Senine said, stepping forward.  “I’m in the duel, too.  You have two hearts, you should be fighting two hearts.”

“Senine, no.”  June said.  “I can do this.”

“Oh, sure!”  Lanessa grinned.  “It honestly doesn’t matter either way.  Here, June, I’ll just float here and let you do whatever you want as an opening attack.”

June was not sure she trusted this.  She was tempted just to strike her with a Dark Star Finale, and unleash all of the Penumbral energy she had in her at the abomination in front of her, if she wanted it so badly.  However, instead, she played a different song as the tuning blades slid into place at the base of her guitar.

A lance of destructive, black and white energy shot forth from the Penumbra, right into Lanessa de Vran Sie.  When the blast dissipated, she was gone.

June had no chance to celebrate this, not to even process the moment of relief, as a voice behind her immediately said, “Sorry!  You  **_missed_ ** .”

She started to play something else, and turn, but a heavy smash to the back sent her sprawling forward, instead.

Lanessa smiled down at her, leaning on her staff.  “So sorry, sweetie!  Your aim is just abysmal.”

“Mine isn’t.”  Senine said, suddenly next to Lanessa, her hammer coming down.

Lanessa lifted her off-hand and suddenly she was holding Hal’s sword, again.  Senine’s hammer came down on it, and, even with the great force of the blow, Lanessa’s arm did not even move.

Lanessa yawned, and idly shoved Senine back with the sword.  Senine stumbled several feet back.

“Dark Star Riot!”  June slammed down the final chord, just as Senine was thrown clear.

Lanessa banished the sword and spun the staff around, bringing the hole on her staff closest to the head to her lips.  She blew a note just as the lance of destructive energy slammed into her.

Instead of hitting Lanessa, however, she hit a shimmering shield of blue energy.  Lanessa was playing a song that was very familiar to June.

When the blast faded, Lanessa stopped playing.  “What’s the matter, June?”  Lanessa spun her staff back around and rested it against the ground.  “Did I cover one of your songs?”

June’s eyes widened, but she lowered her pick to the strings again.

Lanessa sighed.  “This is all so pointless!”

Senine had regained her bearings and was charging her hammer up.

“June, let’s be clear about this.  If I wanted to, I could annihilate you and all of your friends.  It would be barely an effort on my part.”  She grinned.  “But...I suppose I could  **_show_ ** instead of tell.”

Senine charged forward and brought her hammer down.  Lanessa dodged back, and then smashed her fist into Senine’s diaphragm with a lightning fast motion.  The touch itself drained black and purple sparks into the star vampire, and also knocked Senine sprawling back, into her assembled mass of mind controlled friends.  Janice rushed over to her to try to help her up.  Senine was gasping for air and clinging to Janice.

June started to play.  Lanessa smiled at her, and then pointed her free hand at Senine--and, also, Janice, Faye, Cassie, Gemini, Amber, Auggie, Avril, and Octy.  A blue glow started to surround her hand.

June’s eyes widened, and she ran forward, activating her wings for a burst to send her in the path of the blue glow.

Lanessa then fired a wide beam of bright blue energy, right for the Stellar Rangers.  As soon as June was in the path of it, she played her guitar in a desperate, jangling cacophony to try to do something, anything to save her friends.

There was a bright and then dark flash.  The beam was split in two, its two halves firing off in a V shape that narrowly avoided her friends, but that also burned straight through the buildings behind them, as well as several parked cars.  The result was much like the park--a pair of charred, barren streaks of ash.

June flew back, rolling on the ground until she collapsed in a pained heap.  The Penumbra rolled from her hands, and then vanished as it tumbled away.

Lanessa was now sitting on the air, her staff across her lap.  “And that’s the end of the duel, I suppose?”

Senine was back on her feet, her hammer in hand.  Janice, meanwhile, ran over to June and started to help her up.

“Really, Senine? Are you sure?”  Lanessa did not move from her casual position.  “This hasn’t been ending well for you.”

“Shut up and fight.”  Senine said, and then charged forward.

Lanessa touched back down on the ground.  Senine swiped with a high left strike, which Lanessa effortlessly back away from.  She struck again with a reversal of the hammer, and Lanessa ducked under the blow.  She smashed down an attack from above.  Lanessa dodged back, and then moved forward, punching Senine in the face.  She planted her staff in the ground, and then followed up with a blow to the chest, finishing with a heavy strike that once again sent Senine flying, though this time, she was not as quick to stand up.

“Brilliant Darkness Execution!”  June cried.

Lanessa reached for her staff, but, before she could retrieve it, there was an explosion of black and white fire all around her.

June slumped against Janice.  She watched the flames with held breath.

When they cleared, there was nothing where Lanessa had been.  Her staff was still planted straight-up.

Then, Janice was knocked away from June, and June was suddenly lifted up by the neck.  Lanessa glared up at her with more eyes than she should have had.  Her robes were slightly smoldering.

June struggled against the hold, but she was powerless to get free.  She summoned her daggers and drove them into Lanessa’s wrist, but nothing happened.

Lanessa held up her hand, and her staff flew to it.  She pointed it at Senine, and also, the other Rangers.  The crystal on top began to glow blue, and blue light shone through all of the massive flute’s holes.   **_“Do you concede?  Or do you need to experience some more loss, first?”_ **

“I--”  June gasped.  “I--”

“June, don’t!”  Janice said as she stood up.

“I--”  June looked at Lanessa with panic in her eyes.  She could not breathe.

“Oh!   **_Silly_ ** me.”  Lanessa dropped June.  She was now, once again, in her mostly human guise.  “You can’t answer when you can’t breathe.  What a  **_stupid_ ** design flaw you have evolved.”  She lowered her staff and leaned on it, looking down at June.  “What will it be, June?”

“I...I concede.”  She said, refusing to meet Lanessa’s eye contact.  “I concede, you win.  I’ll give you the Penumbra.  Just.  Just don’t hurt them.”

Lanessa grinned.  “Of course you do.  I knew I could count on you.”  She snapped her fingers, and everyone returned to their senses.

“W..what happened?”  Avril asked, and then saw Senine, cradling her chest and struggling to breathe.  Both she and Cassie ran over to her, Avril to help her stay standing, and Cassie to heal her.

“June and Senine fought Lanessa.”  Janice said.  She turned to her friends.  “She’s...they lost, and she’s going to be giving up the Penumbra.”

“Junie, no!”  Faye said, rushing up to her.

“Like, I agree?”  Amber said.  “Don’t do it.”

Gemini looked aghast.  “You can’t!  She’s already strong!  This is going to make her unstoppable.  We can take her.”

“No, we can’t.”  June said, looking down.  “As soon as the fighting starts, she’s going to snap her fingers and then hold you hostage.  And Senine and Janice and I don’t have what it takes.  All I managed to do was hit her once, and it just made her mad. We’ve lost.  We lost before we even started fighting.”

“Oh, at last!”  Lanessa beamed.  “Your leader speaks the truth.”

June stood, and pulled the Penumbra out of her chest.  Faye tried to pull her back, but June pulled away and stepped closer to Lanessa.

Auggie zipped out of the crowd and stood in front of June with her hands out.  “Junie, no.  I can’t let you do this.”

“We’ve lost, Auggie.  What you can and can’t let me do doesn’t matter.”  June tried to step around her, but was blocked, again, by the zippy girl.

“No.  You never let me give up, and I’m not going to let you--”

“Auggie, go stand with your girlfriend, will you?”  Lanessa asked, her eyes flashing.  

Auggie’s eyes went glassy and blank.  She nodded, and walked over to Amber.

“Now then.”  Lanessa held out her staff.  She touched it to the Penumbra.  “Give it to me.  It can only be given, not taken.”

June closed her eyes.  She wanted to blast her, but she knew that she could not win.  Not with her friends at risk.  Not without them helping her.  She reached in, and let the Penumbra go.

Pain shot through her body, but not as much as the sudden, terrible feeling of loss that accompanied it.  Something inside her screamed as she felt her Penumbral form be torn away from her.  She stumbled back, and fell to the ground, suddenly overcome by a massive wave of vertigo.

Lanessa was laughing.  Her staff glowed, and then black and white crept up it.  As the twin shafts changed--one white, one black--the crystal at the top also changed, into a swirling mass of deep darkness and bright light.  Her cloak was white, now, with black accents on it, and her dress underneath was the opposite--black, with white accents.  A streak of white ran through her black hair.  Her eyes glowed even brighter, now, and the left one was now a blue ring in a sea of black.

She looked down at herself.  “Yes.   **_Yes_ ** .  Finally!  After all these years.  Oh....oh I can feel it coursing through me.  The power of our ancient enemy, at my fingertips!  My sisters are going to be so jealous.  Before I destroy them, that is.”  She lifted into the air, a pair of nearly skeletal wings--one black, and one white--beating behind her.  “Oh!  Right, before I go.”

Lanessa pointed her staff at the assembled group.  “You should be happy, by the way.  Without any magic, you won’t be in danger ever again.  You won’t have to fight monsters or tyrants, you’ll be unremarkable, normal humans, living uneventful lives.”

Her staff began to glow, its light flickering blue, black, and white in rapid succession.  Faye doubled over, and golden light poured out of her and into Lanessa.  Gemini fell to the side, white and violet energy pouring from her.  Amber slumped onto the bench for the bus, rust red energy leaving her for the staff and its terrible owner.  A sea green essence poured out of Avril, and she swooned, nearly fainting dead away.  A darker, forest green left Cassie, and she immediately needed to sit down to keep from collapsing.  Octavian did not even have the energy to faint dramatically as a sky blue light siphoned from him.  Auggie had to lean on Amber to keep from falling over as a darker blue energy left her for the vile monster.

A flood of white and a stream of black poured from June, and into the Penumbra.  She curled up tighter on herself as her body and soul screamed at her to do something rather than just lay there.  She could feel that the Penumbra was hers, she could feel her ownership and knew it had been stolen, but could do nothing about it.

Senine, however, felt better as the black and purple energy leaked off of her.  Her body felt as though a great pressure had lifted off of it, and, even though she got very suddenly heavier, her limbs felt lighter than they ever had before.

Lanessa twirled around in the air.  “Oh, thank you so much.  Really.  I’ve never thought this day would come.  The day when I finally have my victory.”

Senine was the only one in the shape to yell when she ran forward.  “You won’t get away with this, Lanessa.  We’re going to kick your ass and stop you.  Somehow.”

Lanessa gave her a confused look.  “I’m not sure why you’re so upset, Senine.”

“Why am I upset?  You’re going to conquer the fucking universe, you stole all our magic, you’ve been violating the minds of my friends for years, and you’re so fucking smug about it!”  Senine shouted.  “I swear, I’m going to find a way, and then I’m going to shove my hammer right up your diseased and rotten--”

“That’s enough of that.”  Lanessa frowned.  “I did you a  **_favor_ ** , Senine.  You of all people should be grateful.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Why, it’s simple.”  Lanessa hovered up a bit more.  “How do you feel, Senine?”

“I feel...”  Senine paused.  “...better than I have.  Ever.”

“Exactly.  Without the magic from your “star” pouring through you, overwhelming you, why, you’re healthy.  You’re in the best condition of your life.”  Lanessa smiled again.  “Don’t you see, Senine?  I freed you.  You’re not a slave to the hand of the reapers any longer.  You’re going to live.  I cured you of your illness and you’re going to live for a very long time.  You’re not middle-aged at sixteen, anymore.”

Senine’s eyes went wide, and she stared at Lanessa, and then down at her hands.

“And now, our business has been concluded.  Oh, Avril, I think this means we should break up.  It’s not you, I’m just going to be out, conquering the Universe and ascending to godhood, and that’s probably going to take up the entirety of your natural life.  But who knows, maybe if you manage to reproduce, I can hook up with your great-times-a-hundred grandchild in a few millenia.”  

Avril had recovered just enough to give Lanessa a very rude hand gesture with both hands.

“Aw.  I’m going to miss this planet!”  Lanessa wiped a tear from her eyes.  “I’m just so happy.  Oh, well!  I’d better go and get ready for those Despair Hunters to arrive, I can’t miss my flight, and I’m going to  **_love_ ** the look on their faces.  Ta-ta, Stellar Rangers.  Or, should I say,  **_ex_ ** -Stellar Rangers.”

Lanessa vanished in a violent flash of white, followed by a black void, that, when it faded, left blue sparkles in the air.

June remained on the ground.  Her heart was screaming in pain and rage and what June was positive was loneliness.

Faye got to her feet, and looked to the rest of her friends.  “Okay, gang, what’s the plan!?”

“Like...there is no plan.”  Amber said, looking at the ground.  Her eyes were a bit less gold, and her hair a slightly more natural color of red.  “We don’t have magic, and, like, we aren’t going to get, like, any more?  It’s, like, over, Faye.  We, like, lost.”

“No!  No no no!  We can’t give up!  There has to be something, right guys?”  Faye looked to everyone.  Only Octy met her gaze, and he stood up on shaking legs.

“Faye’s right, naturally.  There must be a way to win we simply have not--”

“Octy, stop.”  Auggie interrupted.  Both she and her brother’s hair was a darker blue, almost black.  “Even if we had powers, we can’t get close to Lanessa without her taking control of us.  It’s over.  We failed and...and we failed the whole universe.”

Gemini was sitting still, and did not speak.  Cassie was holding her hand.  She looked up at Faye and Octavian and said, “We will die if we try anything.”  Her yellow eyes had flecks of blue, and parts of her green hair looked to be fading to brown, much like her sister’s was, as well.  “There’s simply nothing we can do.”

Avril stepped up, beside Faye and Octavian.  “No.  I refuse to run away.  I won’t do it, this time.  There was to be a way to stop her, and we will find it.”

Janice stepped beside them as well.  “It’s a mystery how we’re going to win, but I always solve mysteries.”

“It’s useless.”  June said from her spot on the ground.  “There’s nothing.”

“No, Junie, of course there’s something!”  Faye rushed over to her.  “There’s always something!”

“No, not this time.”  June looked up at Faye.  “It’s done, Faye.  The Stellar Rangers are over.  Forever.  No one can stand up against her, now.”

“No, there is, I’m sure of it.”  Faye looked around, and then at Senine, who was still looking at her hands.  “Senine!  You’re for fighting, right?  You’re always up for fighting!”

Senine did not look up.  Avril walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Senine?”

Senine did not respond.  She stared at her hands, and though back to a different time, an earlier time, of dancing, pain, and heartbreak.


	22. Episode 22:  Senine in September

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age eight, danced across the hardwood floor of the dance studio.  Her small, well fitted ballet shoes even went up on her toes a few times as she moved elegantly to the music, showing a breadth of skill far beyond most had at such a young age.  She did not even quite hear the piano in the background--her steps were perfect, and the music was no longer needed even in cues--only the dance remained.

She knew that, even though the practices were closed, that her mother was watching from the sidelines.  Frau Sauer was usually stricter than that, but her mother was a bit of a different case, as this ballet class owed much to sponsorship from the Nokturne family.

Brunhilde went up for a jumping twirl.  She wondered how her mother would react if she landed it poorly on purpose.  She landed perfectly, her steps matching every beat of the song with similar perfection.

She moved quickly across the polished floor, and suddenly felt a great weight in her chest.  She caught a picture of herself in the mirror and saw that she looked almost ashen in her reflection.  Something washed over her, and she felt herself suddenly pulled down.  Her steps faltered.

She heard an annoyed sigh from Frau Sauer.  “Again, Fraulein Nokturne.  From the top.”

The piano stopped, and Brun moved to the original spot.  She began with the piano, and her movements were still very good, but she had become a bit sluggish, now.  She felt heavy, and also, that there was something inside of her, growing and pulsing with every movement.

Brun definitely heard the piano, now.  Her head was starting to ache, and every single press of the keys was like a stabbing inside of it.  She wanted to scream for it to stop, but knew that neither her mother nor Frau Sauer would appreciate that.  She stole a glance at them, away from the mirrors, and say them talking in a hushed conversation, punctuated with looks in her direction.

She turned back to the mirrors, and saw that this feeling was definitely influencing her performance.  She was good, now, but not perfect, anymore.  She was moving a bit too slowly, and a with a bit too much effort.  She went on her tip-toes again to simulate being en pointe, and found her body rejecting this motion.  She was immediately pulled down to her knees, as though her body had filled with lead.  Her toes twisted back as she did this, and she screamed in pain.

The mirrors lining the walls all shattered at once, though their glass did not fly out.  It, instead, was pulled straight down.  There was a hard crash as the piano followed suit, crushing in on itself and pulling itself to the floor, much to the bewilderment of Frau Lang, the pianist.

But, from the floor, in a fragment of a mirror, Brun saw that her blue eyes were now very clearly purple, and her black hair was now speckled with white, like a field of stars across the ebon void.

 

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age eight, sat in the doctor’s office, with a cast on her foot, waiting for her mother to be done with the receptionist.  She had broken almost all of her toes in her right foot, and, according to a recent x-ray, they were not healing as fast as they should have been.  She had not been able to go to ballet practice for a week, now.

She was not sure that was a bad thing, however.  No one knew exactly how, but everyone involved had a very strong suspicion that Brun had been the one to destroy the mirrors, that she had destroyed the piano as well.

There had been other incidents in the past week.  Brun’s bed’s feet had snapped, and the frame cracked, under her very meager weight.  The kitchen table had similarly broken, and the house’s bathtub had been pulled through the second floor, smashing into the first floor washroom below.

Brun’s father had joked about taking her to see a priest and getting an exorcism.  As the week went on, it had quickly stopped being a joke.

Brun had a magazine on her lap, and was leafing through it.  She did not look up when the young woman--probably somewhere in her mid twenties--sat down next to her, until she said, “Are you Brunhilde Nokturne?”

The girl blinked and looked up.  Mama had always told her to never give her real name to strangers, so she said, “No, my name is Hildegarde.”

“Your middle name.”

Brun kicked herself, and resolved to have a better, more creative answer, the next time a stranger approached her.  “Yes, but, I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

“My name is Hanako.  You’ve had some strange things happen to you lately, haven’t you?”

Brun nodded rather emphatically.

“Tell me, what’s been happening?”

“Well...things around me just get really heavy.  Including me.  And sometimes they get crushed.”

Hanako nodded.  “Is that it?”

“No, I...floated, the other day.  While I was asleep.  I woke up, and fell.”

Hanako glanced down.  “Did you hurt your foot, Brunhilde?”

“Yes.  It’s not healing as well as it should.”

The woman seemed to think about this for a moment.  “Oh, yes, I see.”

“Do you know what’s wrong with me?”

“Yes, I do.  At least, I have a very compelling theory.”  Hanako leaned in a little, and said, a bit quieter, now, “Do you believe in magic, Brun?”

She shook her head.  “No, magic isn’t real.”

“Then what are those strange things happening to you?”

“A ghost?”

Hanako shook her head.  “No, they’re magic.  Your magic.  Do you feel something in your chest?  Something burning or pounding or sinking?”

“It’s...heavy.  And it feels like it’s twisting me up.”

“That’s your heart.  Not your flesh and blood one.  It’s the thing that connects you to your guiding star.  Or...perhaps, in this case, what was once a star.”

Brun absolutely did not follow this conversation, but nodded, anyway. She did not believe in magic, as she was not five, anymore, but there was something about the way Hanako spoke that made her believe.

“Brunhilde!”  Her mother said as she approached. “We’re leaving.”

“Mama, look!”  Brunhilde pointed at Hanako.  “She says she knows what’s wrong with me.”

Frau Nokturne gave Hanako a very speculative look.  “You’re a little young to be a doctor, or a priest.”

Hanako grinned.  “I’m neither, actually, but I can help Brun.  I know where to find someone who deals with...cases like hers.”

“And what exactly are cases like hers?”

“I’ll explain outside.  I feel as though I may need to make a demonstration happen.”

Frau Nokturne looked back at the receptionist.  She had her hand in her purse, ready to dial 110 on her phone at a moment’s notice.  “Alright, but if this is a scam I’m going to phone the police about your status as a public nuisance.”

Hanako grinned.  “Oh, don’t you worry, Frau Nokturne, they already know me as that.”

Brun followed her mother and Hanako out of the building.  She led them off to the side, away from prying eyes and security cameras.  “Stand back, please.”

Brun did as she was asked, and Frau Nokturne did as well.  “I’m not sure what you’re trying to--”

Motes of light surrounded Hanako’s hands, and coalesced into flowers, their stems wrapped around her arm.  Their petals were oddly geometric and almost looked crystalline.  As she concentrated, their stems curled up and around her shoulder, and new flowers sprung into bloom all around them.

Brun’s jaw had dropped, and her mother’s was no different.

“I’m what’s known as a Stellar Ranger.  We’re like...magic cops, in a sense.”  The glowing faded, and the flowers vanished as she shook out her arm.  “I know of a man in America, by the name of Novias Vember, he’s a Senior Ranger.  He’s an expert in star hearts like Brun’s.  Ones that are very destructive and potentially damaging to their bearer.”

“So...Brunhilde’s...getting magic?  And that’s what’s been going on?”  Frau Nokturne asked.  “She’s not...possessed?”

“Oh, no, not at all.”  Hanako knelt down in front of Brunhilde.  “I can set up an appointment and get her seen as soon as possible, if you want to give me your contact information, Frau Nokturne.”  She looked up at Brun’s mother.

“So, we’ll be able to fix her?”

“Well, hopefully...ah, how do I say it...control her symptoms.”  Hanako offered Brun a flower, and she took it with wide eyes.  She stood back up and removed her phone from her purse.  “I don’t think there’s a way to get her back to the way she was before her heart awakened, but, Herr Vember might have a way to make her in less pain, and less destructive to the world around her.”

“But can he remove it?”

“I don’t think so, Frau Nokturne, but I’m not the expert.  I’m just a concerned citizen who was hoping to give Brun some advice.”

Brunhilde, however, was amazed by everything Hanako was saying.  She had never even thought about being a magic cop, before--well, not since she was five, at any rate.  She had also absolutely never been to America.

She knew that her mother and definitely her father were unlikely to allow either of these things, but she hoped, for just a second that maybe it could come true.  She was so enraptured by this that she did not notice how intense her mother had been when asking about removing her heart, or how uncomfortable Hanako had been when she had said no.

 

*****

 

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age nine, walked into the Grand Park Hotel in Solar City with wide eyes that simply could not sit still as they took in all of the sights.  It was a new building, like all of Solar City, designed to look like an old one, with elegantly carved wooden bannister on wooden stairs, and elevators that were both sleek and unobtrusive.

It had taken about six months to get to Solar City, largely due to Brun’s father having difficulties getting time off, as well as with the concept of magic itself. 

It was when Brun coughed up blood, which coincided with a wall of the house coming down, that he had finally acquiesced and agreed to come to America with Brun and his wife.

Her mother and father were at the counter, arguing with the poor clerk at the front desk about their reservations.  They said they had paid for a deluxe suite, of course, but the clerk said that all of the deluxe suites were all full, and was trying to sell them on a slightly less fancy, but still rather ostentatious, room.

While they argued, Brun wandered outside.  Solar City was a very different city from Stuttgart--it was younger than even she was, and it showed in the modern buildings, each with solar panels on them and several with wind turbines affixed to their top.

But none of those sights were as impressive to Brun as the tower that floated over the city park, not far away.  Brun grinned as she saw it.  She had pointed it out to her parents, but they had only seen it with a great deal of trouble.  Supposedly, it was where they were going, tomorrow, when they were to meet Herr Vember.

Her reverie was disrupted when she heard the sounds of a scuffle.  She ran towards it, and saw a young boy, about her age, with long, brown hair, laying on the ground, his hands covering his face.  Three boys who looked larger and slightly older stood around him, and they were kicking at him and shouting names.  Brunhilde had no idea why anyone would call someone a cigarette with so much vitriol, but she did know what she had to do in this situation.

She ran forward, altering her gravity as best she could.  With no training, she increased her weight far more than she had intended, so when she smacked one of the large boys, he was knocked into the air, and sent rolling down the street with an impressive amount of distance.

Both of the two remaining boys looked at her, a tiny, slim girl, as if they had no idea what had just happened.  The boy on the ground peeked up through his hands at her.

Brunhilde had a fearless grin.  She looked at the boy on the ground and said, “I’ll save you, little boy.”  She said in English that was so heavily accented it was almost unintelligible.

The two bullies looked at each other and shrugged.  One of them moved to push her, but Brun danced away.  Her toes were still a bit stiff, but Brunhilde was still one of the most gifted young dancers at her age.

“What’s your deal?”  The boy asked.  “Some foreign girl trying to help this sissy?”

“You are attacking him.  It’s not right.”

The other boy rushed forward to grab her, but Brun stepped away from that, too.  “Well, maybe we need to teach you a lesson, too.”

“Is it to not turn my back?”  Brun looked past them, right as the boy from the ground upended a trashcan on one of them.  The can sunk down over him, and the other bully gave it a surprised look as he tried to lift it.  The first bully was starting to woozily get to his feet.

The boy grabbed Brun’s hand and pulled her towards the hotel.  “Come on, before they follow us!”

Brun had wanted to stay and give them more of a piece of her mind, but she let herself get pulled, anyway.  She felt very dizzy all of a sudden, anyway.

 

They were back in the lobby of the hotel when the boy let go of Brun’s hand.  Brunhilde’s parents had not yet even noticed she was gone, yet, and seemed to be negotiating something with the clerk.

“Th-thanks.”  The boy said.  “You saved me.”

“No problem!  I told you, I would save you.”  Brun grinned.

“Are you a guest?”  When Brun nodded, he continued.  “My Mom’s a maid.  I stay here while she cleans things.  Those are boys from school, they were walking by and got mad when I didn’t say anything when they yelled at me.  I’m Jordy.  Thanks, again.  You were amazing.”

“Thank you.  My name is...”  Brun paused.  She then said, “Senine.  Nocturne. But, that doesn’t have a K in it, it’s a C.”

“...That sounds made up.”

“It’s not!”  Brun said, defending her totally made up name.  “It’s German.”

“Oh, you’re German?  Are you from Berlin?”

“No!  Berlin’s not the only city in Germany, you know.  I’m from Stuttgart.”

Jordy gave her a blank look.

“Stuttgart?  It’s the capital of Baden-Wurttemburg.”

“Oh!  I thought you said you were German.”

Brun rolled her eyes.  Americans.  “It’s a state in Germany, dummy.”

“Oh.  I didn’t know Germany had states.”

“It does!  Stuttgart is great, and it has the ballet company I am going to be in when I grow up!  Or.  The place I will play concert piano.”

Jordy gave her an odd look.  “Why two?  Are you gonna be a ballet dancing piano player?”

“Maybe!  Mama wants me to be a ballerina, but Papa wants me to play piano.”  Brun shrugged.

“What do you want to be?”

“I want to be a magic cop!”

Jordy gave her a strange look.  “You’re weird.  Why’re you in Solar City?”

“I’m sick.  There’s a man here, Herr--Oh, I mean, Mr. Vember, who is going to help me.”

“Vember?  Oh!  Like Leah.  She’s in middle school, she’s really nice.  My brother has a crush on her, but I’m not supposed to tell.”

“You just told!”

“Oh.  Well, you’re foreign, so it probably doesn’t matter.”

Brun was about to counter that when her mother called to her.  “<Brun!  Get over here, we’re going to the room to drop off our things, and you need to rest for your appointment..>”

“<Coming, Mama!>”  She shouted.  “Bye, Jordy!  Be safe.”

“...She didn’t call you Senine.”  Jordy said.  “She said Broom or something.”

“It was German, you don’t know that.”  Senine stuck her tongue out, and went to join her mother and father.

 

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age nine, sat in a waiting room while her parents spoke with Herr--Mister Vember. She was in the room with a girl who was a little bit older than she was, probably about four years, and a pair of kids who were younger than she was.  She was not sure whether they were boys or girls, just that they were identical, and both had shoulder-length mops of green hair, and wore identical dresses.

The twins were talking to themselves in low, mumbled English.  The blonde girl, however, was doing homework on the floor in the corner.

Brunhilde was in good spirits.  She had made a friend, and, looking at the twins, she had the sudden question in her mind of whether or not Jordy would fit in her dresses

After a few moments, the twins got up and walked over to Brun.  The first one turned to the other one and whispered into their ear.  The second twin nodded.

“Gemini says you’re going to die.”

Gemini, the first twin, nodded.

“No?  I am here for treatment.”

Gemini shook her head, and then whispered to the second twin, Cassie, again.  Cassie said, “She says you’re going to die.  She says it smells like death all around you.”

Once again, Gemini nodded.

“Hey!”  The blonde called from her spot on the floor.  “Dad told you guys not to talk to her until he did.”

Gemini and Cassie looked at each other and shrugged, before moving back to their spot on the floor.

The blonde stood up and walked over to Brun.  “I’m sorry, they’re little and they’re troublemakers, it’s probably not true.”

“Gemini says--”

“Cassie, enough!  Dad’s going to talk to her.”  She shook her head, and turned back to Brun.  “I’m Leah, Mr. Vember’s daughter.”

“Oh!  You’re the girl Jordy’s brother has a crush on!”  Senine said, in part because Jordy had told her that it did not matter because she was foreign.

“I.  What?”  She adjusted her glasses.  “Anyway, I’m Mr. Vember’s daughter.  Do you want anything while you wait?  I can get you some juice.”

Brun shook her head.  “No, I am tough!  I can handle waiting.”

Leah smiled, and returned to her seat.

After a few more minutes, the door opened, and Mr. Vember came out of the room, with her parents in tow.  He smiled at Brun and knelt down in front of her.  “Hello, Miss Nokturne.  My name is Novias Vember, I am the local Senior Ranger, here.  How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts a little.  And I feel heavy.”

He nodded.  “Very well.  Let’s do a test.  How much do I weigh?  Do not think about it, just say the first thing that pops into your head while looking at me.”

“Eighty-four kilos.”  Brun said, and then looked confused.  “Is that my magic?”

“It is a part of it, yes.  You appear to have the ability to manipulate gravity, my dear.”  He looked to her, and then to her parents.  “I have a few machines I will need to hook her up to, in order to see if I can tell how much damage her star is doing to her, if that’s alright.”

Her parents nodded, and then Mr. Vember turned to Brun.  “And that is alright with you as well, Miss Nokturne?’

Brun nodded, a little confused.  She did not know why Mr. Vember had asked her permission--if her parents said yes, did she not have to do it, regardless of how she felt?

She was led into an infirmary full of utilitarian beds and medical equipment, and was asked to lay down on one of them.  She did, and found that it was surprisingly comfortable.

Mr. Vember wheeled a device with a monitor on its front and what looked like a square hole on the side.  The hole was lined up with Brun, and then emitted a grid-shaped pattern of light that swept over her body.  As it did, the machine produced a pattern of light that neither Brun nor her parents could fathom the purpose of.

When that had finished, Mr. Vember put a set of suction puts on various parts of her body--her arms, her legs, her chest, and her formerly broken foot.  He looked at images on another monitor and removed the suction cups. 

Finally, he took two hard rubber balls in his hands.  He pulled what looked like a stopwatch out, and clicked it and dropped the ball at the same time when standing next to Brun.  He then moved across the room and did exactly the same thing.

“Alright, you have been very good, Miss Nokturne, I just need a blood sample.”

“And you will tell us what’s wrong with her, then?”  Her father asked.

Mr. Vember gave him a brief, discerning look.  “I will have a better idea of what is wrong with her then, yes.”  He approached Brun and said, “Now, hold out your arm.”

 

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age nine, sat in the office, this time, with her parents.  Mr. Vember was sitting across from them, a concerned look on his face.

Brunhilde was munching on a cookie, her reward for giving up her blood.

“I have considered the results of my tests, and have come to an...unpleasant conclusion, though not a surprising one.”  Mr. Vember sighed.  “Everyone is connected to a star, as I and Ms. Hayashi have told you.  You’re special, Miss Nokturne, in that you have what is known as a power star, which grants you magical abilities.  However, your star is dead.  It is now a black hole.”

“What does this mean for her, Herr Vember?”  Her mother asked.

“A black hole,”  Mr. Vember said, talking directly to Brun and not her parents, “is a very dangerous star to have.  Metaphysically, the power of the star condenses.  You are getting more magic than your body can hold, Miss Nokturne.  It is causing these episodes, and also, it is what interfered with your healing.  Typically....”  He gave her a sad look. “Those with stars such as yours do not live much past thirty, if they last that long at all.”

“...Surely there must be a way.”  Her father said.  “We were told you were an expert, Herr Vember.”

“I am, in as much as one can be, on this planet.”  Mr. Vember did not elaborate on what that meant.  “I know some treatments that may be able to make her feel less pain, and become more active, and there are a few methods I have heard of that may help her live longer, but, I will need to order them from...well, rather far away.”

“...I’m going to die?”  Brun said with a faltering voice.

“We will all die some day, Miss Nokturne.  Your day will come, perhaps, a bit sooner for you than most your age.  We will see what we can do to change that, but in the event we cannot, I can arrange for your remaining time to be happy and active, rather than simply waiting it out in a hospital bed.”  

“You are not going to die, Brunhilde.”  Her mother insisted.  “Is there no way to remove it from her?”

“No, none that I would recommend.  To do so would sever her soul from her body.  She would become an empty shell, barely human at all.”

“Hmph.”  She said.  “We’ll see.  I would like the number of someone higher up the chain of command, please.”

“...Very well.  I will give you that.  However, they will point you back towards me.  I will order the equipment, anyway.  It should be ready in a few months.”

Herr and Frau Nokturne stood.  Herr Nokturne took Brunhilde’s hand, and pulled her to her feet.  Brun did not want to go so soon.  She wanted to know more about what was wrong with her.  She felt very much like crying, but, for some reason, she found herself unable to do so.

“We will see, Herr Vember.  Most likely, we will find a way around you.  Good day.”

Brun was pulled from the Tower, and she thought for sure that she would never see it ever again.

 

*****

 

Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne, age eleven, sat in the waiting room of the Tower once again.  It was her third visit since the time when she was nine, each one slightly longer than the last.  This time, she was going to be here for a full four months, and was attending the American school.

“When I grow up,”  the boy sitting next to her, who had blue hair and bright green eyes, began, “I am going to be...a princess.”

“But you’re a boy.”  Brun said.  He was a very handsome boy, whom she was fairly certain was named Octavian.

“So?  Princesses have better dresses.”

She could not deny that he had a point.

“You’re from school, yes?  I’m Octavian, Octavian Levey, at your service.”  Octy stood, just to bow in front of Brun.

“I’m Brunhilde.  Brunhilde Hildegarde Nokturne.”

“A lovely name!  But a bit redundant.  Why the two Hildas?”

“My first name is my Mama’s mother’s name, and my second is my Papa’s grandmother’s name.”

Octy gave her an odd look.  “Do you have a nickname?  I think I’ve heard of Jordy calling you...Senine?”

“Oh, that’s just a stupid made up thing.”  Brun rolled her eyes.  “Apparently, it’s some Merman religion thing?  It means it, anyway, a bunch of gold or something.  I made it up when I met him, you know, little kid stuff.”

“It’s a lovely name, I think!  And it suits you better than the other.”

“Thank you.  Uh, so...you can call me Senine, if you want.”  Brun blushed a little.

He grinned.  “Senine it is!  What are you here for?  I’m getting my powers tested.  Apparently, I have control over...the wind.”  He said that with an added flourish that should have just been ridiculous but that he managed to, somehow, pull off.  “My sister is here as well, getting hers measured.  She hasn’t awakened, yet, but she will soon!  I believe she’s off with her friends, the Schumacher twins, at the moment.”

On cue, a girl with blue hair, a couple years younger than Brun and Octy, rushed by at high speeds.  Behind her, Cassie and Gemini ran after her, each holding a stick, while they giggled and chanted, “Hit her with a stick!” over and over again.

As they disappeared, Octy frowned.  “...I suppose I should talk to her about that.”

“...If that’s how friends are in America, I’m fine with just one.”  Brun turned to him.  “I’m here because my star’s hurting me, and Herr--Mister--Whatever, Vember is trying to help it not hurt me, anymore.”

“Oh!  Yes, I think he mentioned you.”

The waiting room door opened at that, and Mr. Vember stepped out.  He had a grim look on his face, which he quickly changed for a smile when he saw Senine.  “Ah, yes, Miss Nokturne.  Please, come in.”

“Good luck, fair Senine!”  Octy called as she walked inside.

“Sit, if you would be so kind.”  Mr. Vember said as he, himself sat.

“Is everything okay, Vember?”

Mr. Vember laughed, but did not press the affectation.  “No,”  He began, his expression falling.  “I suppose not.  Your results show that you are improving, and that your health and recovery have both improved, with Miss Schumacher’s cooperation.  However...the problem is not gone, and as you grow older and start to grow less, those problems will begin to rack up.  Your life expectancy has not increased, only your quality of life.  I have...told this to your parents, already.”

As Mr. Vember said that, Brun could see that he was actually angry.  She did not know why--she had never known him to be angry, before.  

“They have said...that you have three more visits.  If you’re not healed or recovering by then, then they do not want you back.”

Brun went dead still.  “...What?”

“They do not want to deal with an ill child.  They no longer consider you worth all the trips to America.  They have also asked me not to tell you this.”  He looked her in the eye.  “I am so sorry, Miss Nokturne.  Brunhilde.”

“But...but I can get better!”  She stood up.  “You can...you can take my heart out of me!  I’ll live, then, right?”

“No.  In truth,  _ you _ will not live, only your body will.”

“But...”  Brun looked down, and sat back in the chair.  “Isn’t that what they want?”

“What they want is irrelevant.  You’re a person of your own, and you have a say in what happens to you.  If you wish, I can use my own powers to convince your parents to give you into my custody now.  Today.”

Brun looked up at him, and shook her head.  “No.  If they’re...if they’re going to give me up, I want them to do it.  I want them to say it to my face that they don’t want me.  If they can do that...if they do that...then I don’t want them, either.”

Mr. Vember looked at Brun and smile.  “That’s an excellent sentiment, Brunhilde.”

Brun shook her head.  “No, that’s not my name.

“My name’s Senine.”

 

*****

 

Senine Nocturne, age thirteen, slammed into Cassie’s shoulder with her own, increasing her mass just before the hit to send her, scythe and all, tumbling away.  Gemini closed in on her from the other side, and swung with the scythe that was bigger than her pre-growth-spurt body.  Senine danced away from the deadly farm implement, and countered by sweeping her hammer low, with a blow that took Gemini off her feet and knocked her to the ground, flat on her back.

“Excellent work, Miss Nocturne.”  Mr. Vember said.  “A new record time, too.  I think it’s safe to say that you’re prepared for your new status as a Junior Stellar Ranger.”

“Right?”  Senine grinned at the fallen Schumacher twins.  Cassie was helping Gemini to her feet, and Gemini was giving her a very dirty look.  Senine winked at her.  “And I got some aggression out of my system, too!”

He chuckled.  “That’s always a plus, as well.  The movers will be here soon, however, so we had better get home.  If you are prepared to have a home, that is.  Leah has always wanted to not be an only child.

Senine grinned, and nodded.  “Well, great.  Someone wants me to be there, that’s already better than my old home.”

 

*****

 

Senine Nocturne, age sixteen, looked up at her hands, and right at Avril.  Her shocked look turned into a lopsided smirk, and she said, “Sure, Sea Pony, you know I always love a fight.”

June actually sat up at that, and looked right at Senine.  “You’ll die.  And if we win, you’re going to die young, again.”

Senine shrugged.  “Live fast, die young, and leave a good looking crater, remember?  Besides, she killed Vember.  She doesn’t get to do that and win.”

“But you’ll die!”  June shouted as she stood up.  Black energy crackled around her, accompanied by only weak sparks of white, barely visible around the darkness.  “We have no powers!  None of us do!  And....”  June paused, and looked at the crackling energy around her arms.

“No powers, huh?”  Senine walked over to June.  “Listen.  Yeah, I’ll die sooner, even if we win, but...everyone dies, June.  If I can die and make this whole world--this whole universe--safer, then that’s better than staying safe and being a ballerina or a pianist or something while Lanessa becomes the god-empress of the universe.  So stop the pity party and let’s think of a plan.”

June hugged Senine, and Senine smiled and patted her on the back.  “We can do this, June.  Besides, I think my life owes it to me to do the impossible at least once.”

June laughed, and then released Senine, going back to stand with Faye.

“Okay, girls.”  Senine began.  “And Octy, I’m not going to lie to you.  This is going to be very, very difficult.  But we can do it, and you know why?  Because fuck Lanessa, that’s why.  She doesn’t get to win.”

“But...we don’t have any powers.”  Auggie said.

“We don’t, it’s true.  We don’t have any energy at all, and I can feel her brand siphoning us down.  But I know someone that doesn’t apply to.  Two someones, too”

At that moment, Leah’s van pulled up.  Senine grinned when she saw it, half with relief at seeing that her adoptive sister was alive.

“And here’s the other one now.”


	23. Episode 23:  The Eye of Despair

    Lanessa had made herself something of a throne.

    She sat atop the abandoned hospital, atop a throne of rock and fire, tall and broad, fashioned from the remains of the Tower, and covered in cushions she had stolen from a random store.  The Penumbra lay across her lap, one hand resting on it, her finger idly tracing one of the massive flute’s open holes.

    She could feel its energy drain into her, burning her in a way that felt so completely good.

    Her eyes were closed, and she could feel the weapon screaming at her.  The fact that Lanessa possessed it was a violation of its purpose, a fundamentally wrong thing in the universe.

    That only made it so much better, for her.  The fact that she was perverting the cause of a weapon designed for the death of her, and her kin, forged in anger and rage and a desire to destroy all traces of the Whispering Beast, crafted from a broken heart and shattered body, excited her to a degree nothing else had.

    Lanessa was so giddy that she had not yet realized that she had not taken all of June’s power.

 

*****

 

    “So, like, wait.”  Amber began from where she was sitting, in the van with her legs hanging out the open side door.  “Like, why does June still have, like, a bunch of power?”

    “I think...”  June summoned a ball of crackling darkness.  She then tried to summon a ball of light, but all she got were a few crackles and sparks.  “...She didn’t drain my darkness.  Not as much of it, anyway.  She got some, definitely, but I can still feel it.”  She was standing outside, next to Faye, Julius, Avril, and Senine.  “And, I don’t think her brand is working very well on me.  I’ll take me a while to regain my power, but, it feels like...it’s fading?  Like she can’t maintain it on me for some reason.”

    “It’s a start.”  Senine looked at Leah, who was sitting in the passenger seat with the door open.  “So, Leah.  You’ve never, ever used your powers your whole life.”

    “I can’t, Senine.”

    “Right!  Cassie, you can move power to someone else, right?”

    Cassie blinked, and nodded.  “Yes, but, I cannot take power from someone else, and have none of my own to give.  And even if I did, it would instantly be drained.”

    “...I think, if we work together.”  Gemini said.  “I can drain it for you to distribute.”

    “...You want me to have all that power I’ve never been able to use, that’s been locked away in my heart for twenty years, and have Gemini drain it into the rest of you.”

    Senine grinned.  “Bingo.  It won’t fill us all up, but it’ll be a start.”

    “And then it gets drained again.”  Auggie said.  She was sitting beside Amber, her side pressed to her back.  “And we still get mind controlled!  Heck, she could even grab Janice, too, she’s not like Senine, she doesn’t have anything that makes her immune.  No offense, Jan.”

    “No, no, you’re absolutely right.”  Janice said.  “She could grab my brain in an instant.”

    “...Wait.”  June said, stepping forward.  “Wouldn’t this have been so much easier if she’d just mind controlled me?”

    “Perhaps, yes, but maybe transmitting ownership does not work that way?”  Cassie posited.

    “Maybe, but, okay, so the Puppetrix didn’t take complete control of me, either, and the one time she did, it was more like...more like she stripped the human me away, rather than controlling me.  Heck, I killed her puppet the moment it annoyed Penumbra-me...Maybe...I’m immune?”

    “Like, okay?  How does this, like, help us?”

    “Well...”  June took a deep breath.  “Okay.  Lanessa couldn’t take my darkness.  Not very well.  Maybe that part...shields me?  Protects me from the stuff she does.  Maybe it’s like in the story.  The Darkness is of Beyond the Night.  So’s Despair.  Maybe that makes stuff like that harder for her to deal with?”

    “That is...”  Cassie frowned.  “A lot of maybes.  But it’s a maybe with a solid foundation.”

    “But...”  Avril said.  “June, again, how does that help us?”

    “...Well, you aren’t going to like my plan.”  June looked to everyone.  “But, if we put just a little bit of my darkness in each of you, maybe it’ll give you a resistance to it?”

    “...June.”  Octavian began.  “Forgive me, but, if I remember correctly, the last time you put any energy into anyone, particularly the darkness, there was a rather large explosion.”

    “So we don’t put much in!  The point isn’t to recharge you, it’s to...taint you I guess.  Wait, no, that’s a bad word for it.  Charge you in a way that her stuff doesn’t work well.”

    Gemini perked up.  “Like two negative magnetic poles.”

    “Yes, like that!”

    “...Okay.”  Senine stepped forward.  “I volunteer to be first up for you to test the dosage.”

    June did not question this for a moment.  “Okay...well...Hmmm.  I don’t want Gemini and Cassie to channel this.  Maybe if I can give the Penumbra up...I can give some of my darkness away?”

    “...We, like, don’t even know if this’ll, like, work.”  Amber said as she stood up and walked towards June.

    “We have to at least try.”

    “Like, duh?  But don’t, like, try on Senine.”  Amber held out her arm.  “She’s, like, our best fighter, besides you and your, like, artillery?  Start, like, on me.  If it, like, blows me up or, like, sends me into a coma?  You’re not, like, out as much.”

    “Amber...”  June said, and then smiled.  “Yeah, sure.  I’d better get it right, though, becaue Hera and Auggie and Faye’ll all beat me up if I don’t.”

    Auggie walked up to Amber and turned her around.  “Hey, just, if you explode?”  She leaned in, and whispered something into Amber’s ear.  Amber looked stunned, and Auggie was just smiling, and crying.

    “Like, um.”

    “You don’t need to say anything!  I just wanted to say it.”

    Amber turned to June and nodded.  “Okay, like...let’s see if you do it and, like, I feel the brand go?  Maybe, like, that will show us if it, like, works?”

    June nodded, and put her hand on Amber’s arm.  Black sparks drained from her, and into Amber.  It was deceptively easy, to give some of her darkness into a willing host.  June could feel, now that she was doing it, that consent was the key in this exchange.

    Amber pulled away after just a few moments.  The crackling surrounded her, along with just a hint of red.  “It’s, like...oh, like, fuck?  It...it really hurts and the brands going but like it’s like raging in me like I can’t...”

    “Cassie, Gemini, Leah!”  Senine shouted, and pointed at her.  “Give her some power, now!  Maybe it’ll, I don’t know, give her some defense against it or something”

    They were at her before Senine had finished talking.  Cassie put her hand on Amber’s, and on Gemini’s shoulders.  Gemini put her hands on Leah.

    “...Maybe...Maybe before you do this...”  June put her hands on both Cassie and Gemini.  “I know I said I didn’t want to do this but we can’t have Leah’s stuff draining from you guys as soon as it gets in you.”

    The twins nodded as one.  “Do it.”  They said in perfect sync.

    There was a lot of yelling on both their and Amber’s parts as silvery light drained from Leah, and into Gemini, who was also crackling with darkness.  It then drained into Cassie, who then put the energy into Amber--though both twins also kept a little for themselves.  Their hair and eyes were once again green and yellow, respectively.

    Amber pulled away from Cassie.  Her hair was rust red, again, and her eyes were golden.  She looked over at June and nodded.

    “It, like, works, but, like...I feel.  I don’t know, like....Weird.  Burny.”

    “Burny’s good.”  June nodded.  “We can work with burny.”

 

    About a half an hour later, everyone had gotten their jumpstart courtesy of June and Leah, erasing their brands.  They also all had their magical features--their hair and eye colors--back to normal.

    “Okay, now, we should rest a bit, but only long enough to get our plan.”  June said.  “I’m getting my power back pretty quickly, and I know where she is.  The old hospital, I think.  I can feel the Penumbra yelling at me to come and get it back.”

    “So...how do we beat a nearly godlike monster?”  Janice was pacing.  “Hmmmm...”

    “I think...if I can touch the Penumbra, I’ll get it back.”

    “Soooo...”  Auggie said.  Amber was hanging very, very close to her, even more than normal.  “We just need to snatch back the most powerful weapon in the universe back from someone’s who’s been eating it for like an hour, and then get it to you--and by the way, this person can teleport?  And has all of our powers probably, as well as Mr. Vember’s and Hal’s.  And maybe still control our minds?  But maybe not.”

    “Right.”  June nodded.  “Got any ideas?”

    Auggie thought about it for a moment.  “Actually?  Maybe.”

 

*****

 

    Lanessa loved being all powerful.  She loved having a throne, and she loved perverting the order of things by corrupting the Penumbra.  And, usually, she was perfectly fine with waiting.  It had taken her thousands of years to accomplish this, after all.

    However, now that she had the Penumbra, now that she had her victory, and was on the precipice to greater glory still, she was staring at the sky, hoping that the Despair Hunters would just hurry up and be there for her to eat, already.

    Normally, she could make hours or days pass in an instant.  She was young for her kind, but still ancient by anything else’s standards, and the abyss of time was easy to fall into when not focusing on the current.  However, having the Penumbra, for all the power it gave her, for all the sadism she felt just holding it, also made her exceptionally wary by proximity alone.  She assumed, in time, she would gain complete mastery over it, but, for now, the seconds passed like hours, and then minutes felt like days.

    Bored as she was, she almost had not felt it when June came up behind her throne and slowly reached for the Penumbra.  A grin split Lanessa’s face, and she said, “Hello, June.  Come to admire my flute?”

    June took a quick step back, and then Lanessa was standing in front of her, her wings spread wide behind her.  She placed her staff against the ground and leaned on it.  “Or maybe you’re giving second thoughts to our deal?  That would be a real, real shame.”

    “I just...”  June took another step back.  “It hurts to not be around it.  I just...I just wanted to see it.  Before....before it was gone forever.”  June’s eyes were locked on the Penumbra.  “My heart’s aching for it.”

    Lanessa’s grin grew wider.  “Is it?  Tell me, June, what would you give for me to give it back?”  She leaned forward further.  “Your friends?  Even Faye?”

    June gulped.  She nodded.

    Lanessa leaned back a little.  “This is perfect!  I was feeling so, so bored.  I’ll just spend the next few days tormenting you.”  Her grin grew wider.  “Oh, that’ll feel so much better.  I’ll tease you and taunt you and torture you until your backup leaves, and then, I’ll leave you here, and I’ll let you feel your Penumbra, getting farther and farther away, forever out of reach.”

    A blue streak dashed past Lanessa as she started to gesture with the Penumbra.  The weapon was snatched from her hand, and then taken halfway across the roof in a flash of lightning before it came to a sudden stop in front of Lanessa, who had just appeared there in a flash of black and white.  Her smile had twisted a little, with both amusement and frustration.  “Going somewhere, Auggie?”

    Auggie turned and threw the staff behind her.  Lanessa reached for it, and started to pull it back to her.  It existed outside her reach because it was not hers, and had filled a vessel, but she remained empowered by it from her link, slowly consuming the energy within.  Because it was not hers, however, it did not simply return to her by her will, as her flute had before.

    Before she could reach it, a chain with a bayonet attached to it wrapped around the staff and ripped it back towards Amber, who was at the edge of the roof.  Lanessa’s eyes narrowed, and she vanished, reappearing at the midpoint of the chain, which she slashed down into with Hal’s sword, sundering it in two.  Before she could pull the staff to her, it was snatched up by Faye, swooping down with bird wings as arms, and feet like talons.

    Lanessa’s smile was gone.  She snarled, and aimed her hand up at her.  Before the shot could be fired, a pair of scythes dug into her arm and jerked it to the side.  She turned to the Schumachers, who backed away, dropping their weapons.

    Faye dropped the weapon over June, who extended her hand to catch it.  Lanessa lifted the chain from before with a wave of her hand and shot it out.  The chain wrapped around the Penumbra, and Lanessa jerked her arm back, sending the Penumbra tumbling back towards her.

    Avril leapt into the air on a jet of water, and caught the weapon in the air, hitting the ground in a tumble.  She turned and started to run to June.

    And then, Lanessa snapped her fingers.

    Auggie, Amber, Faye, Gemini, Cassie, and Avril all stopped, with a glassy eyed, unfocused expression and a dreamy smile on their faces.

    “Ah.”  Lanessa said, turning to June and grinning.  “Is that it?  You manage to get them a little power, and then try to play keep-away?  You do know they’re mine, don’t you?”

    June took a step back.

    “Oh, June.”  Lanessa approached Avril.  “This was very brave, I’m very proud of you, but it’s time for this to come to an end.”

    Lanessa’s gravity suddenly greatly increased, which was coupled by the roof below her shaking and going molten.  Lanessa was ripped through the floor, and, in that moment, the girls lost their dreamy expressions, just as they had practiced.  Avril turned and ran for June, tossing her the Penumbra.

    June reached for her weapon, her hands getting closer and closer.  Lanessa immediately materialized in front of it and closed her fist around it.  At the same time she did this, June leaped for it, and managed to touch it, just barely.

    There was a brilliant flash, followed by a dark burst of energy.  June was thrown back, and landed on her feet.  She was in her Penumbral outfit, except, this time, it was solid black.  Her hair was entirely black, and one of her eyes was also solid black.  Hanging from around her neck was a black guitar that seemed ephemeral, like a part of it was missing.

    Lanessa’s robes and dress, on the other hand, were solid white, except for the Blue Stars of Mourning acting as her clasps.  Her eyes were like they normally were, but her hair had more white in it than before.

    “No.  No **_no_ ** no!”  Lanessa snarled.  “You’re **_mine_ ** !  You **_can’t_ ** break free!”  Lanessa snapped her fingers.  The ones she had previously controlled froze for only a second, and then shook it off.  Lanessa let out a frustrated snarl.

    Senine and Janice joined the others on the roof.  Lanessa was glaring right at June, however.

    “Just like we can’t have shaken your brands?”  June said, her fingers brushing the strings of the dark half of the Penumbra.

    “Give me back my Penumbra, June.”

    “No.”

    “Give it **_back_ ** , you’re supposed to be **_defeated_ **!!!!!!!”

    “If you want it so much, take it back.”

    “I **_can’t_ ** , there are **_rules_ ** .”  Lanessa narrowed her eyes.  She twirled her flute around, and brought it to her lips.  “If you won’t give it **_back_ ** , then I’ll just have to **_murder_ ** your friends until you **_beg_ ** me to take it back.”

    Lanessa rose into the air, and started to play a familiar song.  Bright white energy crackled around her, and gathered in a swirling point in front of her.

    June’s eyes widened, and she said, “Everyone scatter!  She’s using the Finale!”

    The Stellar Rangers darted in every direction, just as a massive beam of white light shot forth from her, and engulfed the roof of the hospital with a deafening roar.

 

    June was falling.

    She shook off her daze, and jammed a chord on her guitar.  A single wing appeared, and beat once, sending her in a circle and slowing her fall, but not giving her the flight she was accustomed to.  She set herself down gently, at the edge of a large, charred crater burning deep into the earth.

    Half of the hospital was gone.

    Faye swooped down next to June, dropping off Janice and Amber, who were clinging to her tightly before landing, herself.  Avril rode a waterspout down next to her.  Senine drifted down, and lowered her hand as she did, setting down the Schumacher Twins.  Auggie hit the ground with a thunderclap, dusting herself off.

    Lanessa floated above them all.  One of her wings was missing, and her whole body crackled with brilliant white energy.

    “ **_See_ ** , June, if you use the Finale, well, you’re done, aren’t you?”  She purred.  “No more **_power_ ** left.  But I’m not restricted by your **_frail, mortal body_ ** .  I can use it as much as I want, forever.  I just need to **_take_ ** more power.”

    She floated down, closer to them.  “I can **_rip this city to cinders_ ** , piece by piece, until you concede, June.  I can destroy **_this entire world_ ** until you give me what I want.”

    Lanessa lifted her flute to her mouth again.  She began to play, and energy once against started to build around her.

    And as she did, a sudden, powerful gust of wind cut through the air, and into her flute, playing a series of random, out of tune notes as loudly as possible.

    There was a massive burst of white light, and Lanessa was sent hurtling back, the Penumbra flying from her grasp.  Octavian flew by on a current of wind and, with a gesture, he sent the weapon turning end over end, towards June.

    June snatched it out of the air.  She flashed with white and black light, and the Penumbra was whole, and hers, again.

    Octavian landed next to the others.  “So sorry I missed my cue the first time.  It worked out to be more dramatic, however.”

    Auggie rolled her eyes.  “And, clearly, that’s the most important part of saving us from dying.”

    Octy grinned.  “You’re very welcome, dear sister!”

    “Less chatter.”  Senine said, and summoned her hammer.  “She’s definitely not dead after that.”

    “She doesn’t have a death.”  Gemini muttered.  “Of course she’s not.”

    Lanessa landed on the ground directly in front of the Stellar Rangers, in a crouch.  Her robe was charred in places, and still smoldering in others.  Her colors had returned to normal, save for a few shocks of black and white in her cloak.  Her staff had returned to her, but now it was just a solid grey color, and the crystal was cracked and seeping out grey mist.

    Lanessa had about five more eyes than she should have had, and when she spoke, flashes of blue were visible from inside her mouth.  “You **_ingrates_ ** .”  She hissed as she advanced on the Stellar Rangers.  “I tried to do this the **_easy_ ** way.  I **_tried_ ** to be compassionate.  But **_no_ ** , apparently, **_violence_ ** is the only thing you understand.”  She glared at Senine.  “ **_Death_ ** is the only thing you seem to **_want_ ** .  You could have had good, happy lives!  Free from **_strife_ ** and **_responsibility_ **.”

    June prepared to play.  Senine took a half-step back, and readied her hammer.  Octavian skipped back on a wind current and readied his bow.  Faye summoned her claws.  Amber lined up a shot.  Auggie got low and summoned her batons.  Cassie glowed green and started to restore the bumps and bruises of those around her.  Gemini pulled her scythe back.  Avril took a few deep, calming breaths and fought the urge to run away. Janice got into a sturdy, defensive stance.

    Lanessa vanished, and then reappeared in the center of them.  She had four arms, now, and held her cracked staff in two right hands, Hal’s sword in her top left hand, and Mr. Vember’s sword in her bottom left hand.

    “Now I’m just going to have to **_mangle_ ** you until you **_submit_ **.”  Lanessa snarled, and then pounced right at June, leading with her swords.  June scrambled back, trying to find the right chords while dodging the rapidly approaching blades.

    In a burst of water, Avril darted forward, slashing her Wave Cutlass against the star vampire’s back.  Lanessa hissed and turned, and as she did, a wave of glowing, crackling water followed her.  It splashed against Avril, and sent an electric shock through her, dropping her convulsing to the ground.  

Before she could press the attack, however, Lanessa dodged back just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning.  She turned to where Auggie had been and saw a streak of blue darting away.  She raised her head and let out a blood-curdling shriek, and it was only through their training to resist Layon’s howl that every Ranger did not immediately retreat, screaming, from the sound.  Auggie still stumbled, however, and when she did, a tornado full of superheated rock shot right towards her.  She only mostly dodged it, falling back when a burning rock slammed her in the shoulder.

June’s fingers danced along the strings.  She knew she did not have long before Lanessa turned her attention towards her, again.

Lanessa pivoted just in time to take a crusher ball to the chest.  She only slightly winced as her body twisted under its power.  Before it could dissipate, Senine was on her, slamming her hammer down.  Lanessa easily blocked it with her staff, and her eyes widened when the cracks in the weapon grew under the heavy blow.  She knocked the hammer aside with the Nova Sabre, and then stabbed forward with Mr. Vember’s sword.  The blow was deflected, however, when Amber pulled her arm back and ripped both swords from Lanessa’s hands.

Faye leaped in beside Senine and swiped her claws at Lanessa in a dizzying flurry.  Lanessa backed away from them, and then summoned a copy of Amber’s rifle, aiming and firing a bullet in rapid succession.  Faye jerked back as the projectile tore through her shoulder.  Rather than ratchet a new round in, Lanessa tossed the weapon aside, and summoned two copies of Hal’s sword to her hands.

Janice smashed her in the back with a burning swing of her mace, and Gemini moved to flank her with a heavy upward slash.  Lanessa blocked the scythe on instinct, allowing Janice to smash her again, sending Lanessa reeling forward.  Faye, favoring one arm, and Senine, took advantage of this opening by charging forward.

Lanessa gave them a grim smile, and dropped her swords.  She raised a hand, and the pull of gravity started to intensify all around them.

Five whirlwinds, fired in rapid succession from Octy, pulled the rangers out of range, right as Lanessa activated Senine’s desperation attack, Ruin.  Light around her dimmed as gravity was increased with enough sudden force that the ground itself shattered.

Amber fired shot after shot at her, but none of them seemed to do much, and there was so much melee it was hard to get a good shot.  She dismissed her rifle, and then rushed towards the abandoned, ruined hospital.

Lanessa had not hit anyone with her devastating attack, but she had also accomplished a secondary goal of knocking everyone else away from her.  She grinned, and floated into the air on nearly skeletal, grey bird wings.  She pulled the flute her her lips, and began to play.  Octavian attempted to run a gust of wind through it, but found the air around her stabilized and difficult to influence.

A lightning bolt slammed into her, and then several arrows.  She jerked, and twisted, but did not stop playing.

At first, what she was doing was not very obvious.  Then, however, the ground began to glow in hundreds of spots of blue light, that suddenly grew wider and wider.  June’s eyes went wide, and she switched songs abruptly, dropping a Riot in exchange for a shield.

The other rangers turned and ran.  Behind them, the spots closest to Lanessa erupted into massive, skyward beams of blue energy that, even as they fired, seemed to slowly grow.  Octavian put a heavy wind behind them, and Senine made each of them lighter, so that every step counted for even more.

When the onslaught ended, the crater where half the hospital had once been was even wider and deeper and more ruined.  The exception was June, who was on a raised section about as wide as her shield was.

Everyone had at least minor burns from the attack, and, in Gemini’s case, some pretty serious ones.  Cassie started to glow a bright green, everyone else glowed slightly as well as their wounds began to heal.

Lanessa pointed her hand right at Cassie, and fired a bolt a plasma right at her.  Janice bolted in front of her and raised a rock wall.  The plasma burned right through the rock wall, and then struck her in the chest, knocking her back.

“Jan!”  Gemini yelled, and rushed over towards her.  Janice pushed herself up.  She had a rather nasty burn, though she was not dead.

“Oh, dear, is plasma hotter than lava?”  Lanessa grinned, and started to glow, green, herself.  However, her wounds did not heal.  “Oh, darn.  I was hoping that would work, but I guess I’m not **_technically_ ** alive. Now...where was i?”  She glanced around, and then heard the sound of a guitar.  “Oh.”  She turned to June.  “Yes, **_now_ ** I remember.”

Lanessa vanished, and reappeared behind June, Hal’s sword raised in both her left hands.  Before she could hit, Faye let out a desperate howl, which made Lanessa drop her sword and flinch back.  June sprung forward, her wings beating once before disappearing, and touched down on the other side of the crater.

Lanessa vanished, and reappeared in the midst of the other rangers.  Her hands glowed with white and violet energy, and she grabbed Avril by the wrist.  Avril’s whole went rigid, and she stumbled back, holding her chest and gasping for air.  Gemini rushed over to her and grabbed her, grimacing as Avril stabilized, and Gemini noticeably weakened, her movements becoming more labored, her breaths harder.

    Senine’s hammer came down on Lanessa’s back, knocking her forward.  She growled, and started to turn.  At that time, Auggie, crackling with electricity, slammed both of her batons into the staff, and discharged a thunderclap.  As the cracks grew, Faye launched forward and slammed into Lanessa, knocking her heavily off balance, and right into the path of a large blast and black and white flame.

    Lanessa was thrown to the side, and managed to teleport away from a hard wall of wind thrown her way.  She landed, and then slammed a hand into the ground.  The entire area shook, and the earth cracked open, molten blue fire pouring through.

    Avril, who was still panting for breath after being Life Broken, brought both of her hands down.  A cool, refreshing rainfall fell over the battlefield.  The blue fire died down, and the molten cracks began to hard.  In addition, while it did not heal any of the rangers, it did, very slightly, invigorate them.  Avril then fell on her rear, exhausted, and the rain faded.

    Cassie was still glowing, though now she was panting, and her whole body ached.  The rain had only slightly helped the exhaustion of healing Avril and Gemini literally from being literally halfway dead, Faye’s bullet wound, and Janice’s third degree burns.

    Janice charged Lanessa, her mace raised and glowing with a molten light, steam washing off of it from the final few drops of Avril’s shower.  Lanessa rolled her eyes--all of them--and held her staff back, easily blocking the attack with Hal’s sword.  She retaliated by stabbing with Mr. Vember’s, but Janice had not pressed the attack--instead, she hopped back, slamming her feet down as she touched down.

    A pillar of molten earth shot from the ground, and slammed into the staff from below.  The cracks grew, and the end of one of the twisting shafts actually broke free from the rest of the staff.  Lanessa stared down at it, and then slowly turned towards Janice.

    Janice gulped.

    Lanessa did not get a chance to retaliate.  A massive girder emerged from the ruined hospital and slammed her from the side, knocking her into the crater and smashing off a large piece of the staff.  As soon as Lanessa landed, five more girders flew out of the hospital.  Amber stood in the wreckage, obviously winded.  Her head was pounding, and she could feel her heart straining as she smashed down the second girder, and then the third.

    She was about to smash the other three down when a pillar of stellar fire shot up from the crater, consuming the girders utterly.  Amber fell backwards, and caught herself on her rifle.

    Lanessa rose into the air above the crater.  She lifted a hand, and the shattered fragments of her staff flew to her.  She stared at them, and then waved her hand, banishing them.

    “Do you have **_any_ ** idea how many **_people_ ** I will need to **_consume_ ** to repair that?”  She growled.  She lifted a hand, and pointed it towards Amber.  A blue glow began to surround it.  “Do you have **_any_ ** idea how **_precious_ ** that staff was?!”

    June’s song reached a crescendo, and she fired a lance of black and white annihilation right at Lanessa.  Lanessa spun, and fired her beam at June instead.  The blast of Despair energy met the Dark Star Riot, and for a moment, June’s song pressed against the beam, and gained ground.

    Then, Lanessa pressed all four hands to the beam, and it grew so widely that she could not be seen behind it.  The beam of bright blue, corrupted energy pressed back against the Dark Star Riot, and no matter how furiously June played, she could not stop from losing ground.  She stopped playing and activated her wings, managing to dive out of the way just in time to avoid the blast, which burned into the earth, leaving a deep, charred tunnel.

    “ **_Obviously_ ** I have been taking it too **_easy_ ** on you.”  Lanessa growled, and then her dimensions started to warp.  Her legs and torso very suddenly extended and warped, revealing a body composed of a dark grey substance that seemed to shift and whirl on its own, too fluid to be a solid, but too firm and unyielding to be anything but.  “ **_Obviously_ ** you haven’t **_learned_ ** to **_submit_ ** , yet, so **_clearly_ ** , I need to teach you **_why_ ** it is **_unwise_ ** to continue your **_feeble useless annoying resistance_ ** .”  Her arms were grey, long and spindly like her body.  All four of her hands were long and thin, with fingers that matched.  Her wings now stretched as wide as the full length of her body.  Her feet had long since touched against the bottom of the crater, and her torso reached up to about the height of the old hospital at shoulder.  Her face was a roiling mass of grey mist, with easily a dozen blue eyes of varying size staring out from it with a seemingly random arrangement, taking the place of all other facial features.  “ **_Obviously, you need a lesson on what it means to make the Eye of Despair angry._ ** ”

    Lanessa snapped her fingers, and her torn, burned, ruined robes re-formed and re-sized around her new, monstrous form.  She summoned a pair of Mr. Vember’s swords, and a pair of Hal’s swords, all four scaled to her new, looming size.

    **_“Now, Stellar Rangers, tell me.  How hopeful do you feel?  How does the triumph of breaking my weapon compare to the monstrousness of your foe?”_ **

    “Eh.”  Senine shrugged and shouldered her hammer.  “Seen monstrouser.”

 

*****

 

    “There has to be something we can do.”  Leah said from her spot, sitting on the roof of her van.  She and Julius were a few blocks away, though the pyrotechnics from the fight were still incredibly visible, despite distance and the cover of buildings.

    “I don’t think there is.”  Julius said.  He was sitting next to her, with his hand in hers.  “All we can do is hope.  Maybe pray?  I’ve never really been the praying type.”

    “Me, either.”  Leah sighed.  “Maybe...maybe if they can free Dad...maybe I’ll get my powers, and I can help them.”

    “Leah, you don’t have any training.  You’ll be going in there like...”  Julius began, and then looked back towards the fighting.  He could almost see some huge silhouette, some terrible thing against the night.

    From the van’s radio, they could hear yet another call saying that this was a state of emergency, and that everyone should stay in their homes, in the lowest point.  The nature of the emergency changed with every broadcast, from a terrorist attack to a tornado to an earthquake to an alien invasion.

    Still, despite the air of panic on the radio, they saw some people around--including some brave and stupid people getting a little closer to the fight.

    “Like a Junior Ranger, you mean.”  Leah said.  “Like them.”

    “Yeah.”  Julius squeezed her hand.  “I guess I do.”

    “...I think I might pray.  But not to any gods or anything.”  Leah looked up at the sky.  “I think I’m going to pray to the stars, and maybe, if we’re lucky, they’ll be able to hear us and help out their champions a bit more.”

    Julius nodded.  “Yeah.  Maybe me, too.”

    Leah and Julius each gave a silent prayer to the uncaring sky, and then he leaned into her as they watched the vague silhouette of the horrible abomination start to move.

 

*****

 

    Lanessa swept out both of her swords in a pair wide slashes.  The Stellar Rangers scrambled to avoid the surprisingly fast attack.  June’s wings shot her into the air, and she started to play once more.  The tuning blades shot out of the bottom of the Penumbra, and began to spin as she played.

    Lanessa spun around, leading with one of Mr. Vember’s swords aimed right for June.  She aborted the song to play a shield song.  The sword struck her with enough force to slam her against the ground.  When she hit it, she bounced, and then the shield faded as she landed and rolled away.

    **_“Did you think I would just let you play the Finale, June?”_ **  Lanessa’s voice was not louder, but it echoed further, and those echoes, once they started, seemed to drift with a life of their own.

    Faye, from where she had stumbled away from the sword, stood and then bolted forwards, leaping right at Lanessa’s back.  Avril followed suit, a jet of water pushing her into the air in sync with Faye.

    Fayes claws sunk into Lanessa, and she roared as she slashed into her again and again.  Avril’s sword stabbed straight into her.  Then, she pushed herself downwards with a blast of water, tearing a wide hole in her back.

    Lanessa screamed, again, that horrible blood-curdling shriek, and Faye fell off of the monster.  Avril lost her grip on her sword, and tumbled down as well.  A swift, gentle breeze swept them up and deposited them on the edge of the crater.

    Amber knelt down, and took careful, steady aim.  She watched as Lanessa turned towards the others, and raised all four of her swords high.  They glowed with white-hot fire, and sparked with electricity.  She took a deep breath, and then fired.

    One of Lanessa’s eyes went out, and her head jerked to the side.  She dropped her swords, banishing them, and covered half her face with both right hands.  She pivoted and slammed her two left hands onto the ground.  The earth beneath Amber started to rumble and crack, and then it started to glow with heat.  Amber’s eyes widened and she stumbled to her feet to try to rush out of the area of effect.

    Auggie zoomed by and grabbed her, pulling her free just as the area was overcome with molten rock and blue fire.  She stumbled a bit, and then came to a stop.  Lanessa pointed both her left hands at them, and a telltale blue glow appearing in front of her.

    Janice stomped her foot, and the rocks under Amber and Auggie’s feet shot up at an angle, launching them to the side right was twin beams of annihilation fired towards where they had just been.  Amber and Auggie landed in a heap a bit away, groaning and battered but otherwise fine.

    “Oh, sorry!”  Janice called.

    June started to play again.  The tuning blades shout out of the base of her guitar, and began to spin.  Once again, Lanessa turned to face her before she could play too much of the song, before she could even start to gather energy.  She lifted a massive, burning sword, and slammed it down towards her.

    The blade met Faye’s crossed claws, raised over her head, inches from making contact.  Faye was glowing a bright gold color as she put all of her remaining power into holding back the massive blade.  Cassie ran up behind her and put both of her hands on Faye’s shoulders, filling her with green light, in addition to her blazing, golden aura.

    **_“You really are the strongest fourteen year old in the world.  But now, unfortunately, your story is at an end.”_ **  As Lanessa said that, she shoved the blade down harder.  Faye’s knees started to buckle, but she held her ground.  Senine’s hand was extended, and she was straining to keep the massive blade as light as possible.

    “Junie...Junie, Cassie, run!  I can’t...”

    June changed her song, and then cranked up the distortion.  The song was very hard, very rough, and very quick, and when the Dark Star Riot fired from her Penumbra, it was less a cohesive lance of power and more of a crackling, unstable burst.  The attack slammed into the sword, and without any fanfare, shattered it, the fragments disappearing before they could hit anything.  The blast continued on, and then slammed into Lanessa’s chest hard enough to make the giant stumble.

    When Lanessa had regained her balance, there was a sizable, ruined gash in her torso.  Through it was, just barely visible, a lavender light.

    “Senine.”  Gemini said, looking over at her.

    Senine nodded.   Gemini sprinted towards the edge of the crater, and when she reached its edge, she jumped.  As she jumped, Senine greatly lowered her personal gravity, enabling her to leap right at Lanessa’s chest.  Lanessa barely even registered her, instead aiming a destructive blast with all four hands, right at June.

    Gemini’s scythe dug into Lanessa’s chest, and then she pushed off of the star vampire, dragging her scythe with her.  In the process, she ripped Novias Vember’s star heart from its captivity.

    Lanessa’s attack was aborted, and she shrieked with rage, grabbing for Gemini with all four hands. However, a chain shot out and wrapped around Gemini’s ankle, wrenching her back and away from Lanessa’s dread grasp.

    Gemini tumbled onto the ground in a chain-entangled heap next to Amber.  Amber banished the chains, and Gemini stood on a twisted ankle, brought her scythe around, and said, “Okay, okay, you were right about me.”

    The lavender light glowed brightly, and then vanished.

    Lanessa turned right towards Gemini.   **_“That was mine!”_ **

    “That was a person.”  Gemini said.  Amber stepped up next to her.  “And now he’s out of your reach.  Forever.”

    **_“Nothing is out of my reach.”_ **  She hissed.  She gestured towards the hospital, and then made a pulling motion.  Dozens of girders, pipes, window frames, and door frames ripped themselves from the structure and pulled themselves into long, sharp spears.  Every single spear then began to glow with white-hot heat, and crackle with electricity.   **_“And now you’re going to--”_ **

    Lanessa was interrupted when all of the spears unceremoniously dropped to the ground.

    “Like, that was way, way too much?”  Amber rolled her eyes.  “I can’t do that much on, like, a good day?  Looks like, like, you’re out of my energy.”

    A crusher ball slammed into Lanessa’s back.  She turned around just in time to see Avril, carried by a heavy just of wind and propelled by a waterspout, slam right into her face, sword first.  Lanessa screamed as another of her eyes was pierced.  She tried to swat away Avril, but the same wind that had carried her pulled her back to the edge of the crater.

    **_“I am losing my patience.”_ **

    “Yeah, and the fight!”  Auggie called.

    Lanessa turned right for her.   **_“Thank you.  For volunteering as the first casualty.”_ **

    Auggie gulped.  “Oh, crap.”

    Lanessa summoned four copies of the Nova Saber, and then shifted her grip on all four so that she was holding them like javelins.  They glowed with white hot plasma that just grew bigger and brighter as she charged.   **_“I do so love the occasional overkill.”_ **  She said, and then paused.

    Behind her was the telltale sound of an electric guitar, playing the song of the Dark Star Finale.  She spun around, and threw all four swords at June at once.

    June did not have time to change her song, nor did she see anyone else close enough to shield her.

    The four swords burst into four huge explosions of plasma.  The heat kept anyone from coming anywhere near where June had been, and the ground burned for a few moments before the light died down.

    **_“Regrettable.  But, it had to be done.  Oh well, back to the drawing--”_ **  Lanessa stopped.  From the dying flame, she could still hear the song playing.

    The flame cleared, and she could see that there was a figure, standing in front of June, braced against a Tower shield that was only slightly taller than she was.  The shield, the Vibrant Aegis, was blue, with the symbol of the Stellar Rangers emblazoned in silver on the front.  The area around her and June was perfectly fine, not glowing or burnt in the slightest.

    Leah Vember breathed a sigh of relief.  She was so, so glad that that had worked.  “You okay, June?”

    June was stunned, but nodded.

    “Okay, good!  Wow, we’re pretty lucky that this was my power, huh?”  Leah said, and then braced herself as a beam of bright blue annihilation slammed into the shield.  She grimaced, and pressed herself against her shield, her feet digging into the earth and, against all logic, preventing it from even budging her.

    **_“So.  He was right in that is was powerful, but wrong in that it was destructive.”_ **  Lanessa put a second hand into beam, widening it greatly.  Leah was still not moved.   **_“If only he hadn’t sealed you, then, perhaps, you could have saved your precious father.  Oh well!  Live and--Well.  Perhaps I shouldn’t be so hasty with the ‘L’ word.”_ **  She added her third and fourth hands.

    The beam was overwhelmingly powerful.  Leah could feel her reserves of magical power, already depleted from the earlier siphoning of them, rapidly fading under the onslaught.

    Lanessa, however, stopped firing.   **_“Fine, then, if you wish to be a stubborn insect, who am I to deny you from being crushed?”_ **

    Her arm darted out to try to grab Leah.  However, before it could reach her, Senine stepped in front of the shield, and opened up a Twisted Spiral.  The swirling mass of gravity between her hands opened wider, and, as Lanessa’s arm approached it, it was pulled inside, first just a few fingers, and then, the whole of her hand.  Lanessa’s eyes widened, and she tried to rip her arm back, but the hunger of the void was too strong, and it pulled her arm down a bit farther, closer to the elbow.

    Lanessa pulled back more, and, as she did, she could feel parts of her arm and the torn parts of her torso start to give.  She was ripped open, exposing a single sliver of nearly blinding white light, shining through her chest wound.

    June continued to play.  Black and white energy swirled in front of her, gathering more and more power the longer she played.

    Lanessa summoned a sword and chopped right through her captive arm, right below the elbow.  The Twisted Spiral devoured the severed portion, and then Senine collapsed the void, and fell over, barely able to move from the exertion.

    The Vran Sie shrieked a cry of rage and pain.  She pointed all of her remaining limbs at June and Leah.

    The ground under Lanessa cracked, and then began to burn.  A dozen metal spears shot into her side and back.  A huge bolt of lightning struck her in the chest.  Lanessa winced but did not stop charging her deadly blast of energy.  Leah stepped over Senine and planted her shield in front of her adoptive sister, bracing herself for the attack.

    A strong gust of wind carried Gemini into the air, and she flew by Lanessa, swiping her scythe into her chest as she went.  The blade stabbed down into her, and ripped free Hal’s star, which, though nearly blinding, was not glowing nearly as brightly as it had when Lanessa had torn it from him.

    She landed in a crouch on the other side, and Hal’s star vanished.

    Lanessa let out a scream of rage, and stumbled to her knee, her attack dissipating.

    “Leah.”  June said as her song started to reach a crescendo.  “Get out of the way.”

    Leah dismissed her shield and grabbed Senine, helping her stumble out of the way.

    June reached the peak of her song, and unleashed a huge beam of pure darkness and primal light, right at Lanessa.  The blast struck her dead on, and then consumed her.

    When the blast cleared, the crater was empty, save for some sparkles of blue and some grey mist, dispersing in a large, thick cloud.

    June’s Penumbral form fell away, and she collapsed to her knees.  Cassie was sitting down, and glowed brightly as everyone--all exhausted--similarly either sat on the ground or fell down to it.

    “We...we did it.”  June said, and then started to laugh.  We did it!  We beat Lanessa!  We--”

    June was picked off the neck and held in the air.  She was being held by a talon made of roiling grew mist and blue light.

    Lanessa de Vran Sie glared up at her.  She was human sized and in her mostly in her human form, now, though her body was heavily charred in places and was leaking grey mist and blue light from every wound.  Half of her face was still in monster form, and the other half was very heavily burned, with visible cracks in her skin in places.  She was still missing her top left arm.

    “ **_Actually_ ** .”  Lanessa spat, and tightened her grip around June’s throat.  June clawed at the limb, and felt what little energy she had start to drain into the monster in front of her.  “You **_missed_ **.”


	24. Episode 24:  Commencement

Prince Halloway Decembren woke up with a start.  He felt very drained, and very tired.  His entire body ached, and his head hurt when he moved it to quickly.

However, despite all of his expectations to the contrary, he was very much alive.

“Hal?”  Jordy said, rushing from his chair to the bed.  Hal now realized that he was in Jordy’s bedroom, lying on Jordy’s bed.  “Are you...are you alive?”

“Yeah, I...I guess I am?  I feel like death but...yeah.  I’m alive.”  He looked up at Jordy.  “How did I get here?”

Jordy put his hand on Hal’s.  “I just looked outside my window and you were next to the tree.  It was like you were in a coma or something.”

Hal sat up, as if something urgent had suddenly occurred to him.  “Lanessa, where’s Lanessa?”

“Oh.  Her.”  Jordy pulled his hand back.  “I don’t know.  It was just you.  But there’s been..explosions?  There’s a state of emergency, down at the old hospital.  Something bad’s happening there.  Malcom says there’s a giant monster, fighting superheroes, and I think I might believe him.”

“That must be where the Stellar Rangers are fighting Lanessa.  I have to help them.”  Hal pushed himself to his feet and started for the door.

He was stopped when Jordy grabbed his hand.  “You can barely walk, Hal!  And you’re burning up.  You need to lay down.”

Hal shook his head.  “No, I was burning up earlier.  Lanessa must have weathered the actual explosion of my star, and drained enough of its energy that I’m stable, for now.  And I have to go, Jordy.  I have to help them any way I can.  I’ve done nothing but screw up since I’ve been on this planet, and now it’s time for me to do something right and clean up my mistake.”

Jordy looked him in the eye, and then sighed.  He released Hal’s hand.  Hal gave him a sad smile, a quick kiss, and started for the door.

“Wait.”  Jordy called as Hal opened it.  “I’ll drive.  I know where Mom keeps the spare key to the car.  It’s supposed to only be during an emergency, but...”  Jordy looked towards his window, and towards the rising smoke visible only by the omnipresent lights of the city.  “...I think if this doesn’t count, nothing will.”

 

*****

 

June clawed at the hand around her throat.  A second one joined it, and tightened her grip.  Lanessa was glaring at her with a twisted grin.  Her face was slowly returning to human as she absorbed June’s energy.

Avril slashed out at Lanessa’s back.  Her legs were shaking, and her arm unsteady.  She was fighting by will alone.

Lanessa tossed June away like a discarded doll.  She hit the ground hard, and immediately began to gasp for air.  The star vampire, meanwhile, used some of the last energy she had absorbed from Novias and summoned three of his swords at once.  She turned and stabbed all three at Avril with a rapid series of deadly thrusts.  Avril blocked it as best she could, but took stabs to the shoulder and thigh, and one gave her a deep glancing cut to her side.

She fell back, and Lanessa pressed in for the kill.  However, she was blocked when Leah’s shield slammed into her and sent her reeling back.  Lanessa growled, and then vanished, reappearing in front of June, who was still coughing and still trying to push herself up.  Lanessa cast her swords aside, and summoned a large scythe, lifting it up over her head, and then slashing it down.

Two scythes hooked around Lanessa’s.  Cassie and Gemini strained as hard as they could, stopping the blade just above June’s back.  Lanessa pressed the weapon down, harder.

Faye grabbed June and pulled her out of the way.  Senine’s hammer smashed into Lanessa’s back.  Lanessa banished her scythe, and then grabbed Senine’s hammer by the haft as she had tried for a second hit.  Senine immediately banished her hammer, and danced away when Lanessa tried to slash out at her with three pairs of Faye’s claws.

Auggie charged forward, and slammed into Lanessa back, discharging a large amount of electricity into her at a very short range.  Lanessa’s whole body began to glow with heat, and Auggie stumbled back, half carried to safety by the Schumachers.

Janice slammed her mace into the ground with a blow that used her entire body.  A wave of red-hot earth rumbled through the ground and smashed into Lanessa’s legs from behind.  She stumbled forward, right into five arrows that carried a heavy wind.  The star vampire was knocked right off her feet and into the air.

Senine rushed in and, her hammer absorbing the light around it, and slammed Lanessa down against the ground.  She brought it up and slammed it down, again and again.

She slammed it down one more time, and Lanessa vanished in a shower of grey and blue sparks.

She reappeared in the sky, above the others.  Her broken wings flared behind her.   **_“Enough!  You’re getting tiresome!  It’s time to end this charade.”_ **  Lanessa’s whole body began to glow.   **_“You know, I liked this world.  It amused me to no end.  It’s a pity I’m going to have to ruin it.  You could have avoided this, June.  You could have prevented this from happening, but now...now you’re going to be obliterated, and I will bring this planet to ruin, all in one fell swoop.”_ **  She glowed brighter and brighter, and held all three of her arms in front of her.  All of her energy began to charge into a single blast--all of the energy she had stolen from Hal, Mr. Vember, the Rangers, and the Penumbra, all of the power she had been storing for thousands of years, everything she had in a single, horrible blast.

June struggled to her feet, eyes wide.  “I...I don’t have anything left.  The Finale took all my energy, I can’t do it again and...and even if I could, I don’t know if...if I could stop that.”

Auggie and Amber were hugging each other tightly.  Avril was just staring up at it, feeling hopeless and helpless.  Senine dropped her hammer, and could barely even look up enough to see the doom being charged above them.  Cassie and Gemini were holding each other, and Octy was holding Cassie.  Janice looked at June, and saw how powerless she looked, and pulled out her phone.  She saw that the signal was still gone, and then let it fall to the roof below her.

“...But we stopped her, at least.”  June said, looking to everyone else.  “She didn’t get the Penumbra.  That’s something.  We did as much as anyone could do.”

“No.  No, it’s not over!”  Faye said, running up to June.  “We can do it!  I know we can.”

Lanessa was glowing brightly enough that the night sky was as bright as day, though everything in her light was tinted bright blue.

“...How?  We don’t have anything left, Faye.”  June took her hand.  “But...I’m glad I get to spend the end with you, out of everybody, I’m glad it’s you.”

“Well I’m not, because it’s not over!”  Faye pulled her hand away.  “Come on, we have to try!  We can...we can...”  Faye paused, looking frantically at everyone, trying to think of something.

“It’s okay to be scared, Faye.”  Senine said with a weak smile.  “I’m scared, too.  But we’re in this together.”

Leah was still looking up.  She did not want this to be the end.  Lanessa had been thwarted, but not stopped.  There were still so many people to defend, and she had only just gotten the ability to defend them.

“...Together!  That’s it!”  Faye bounced up and down.  “I know how we can win!  We all get in a big circle and give all our energy to June!  We just channel everything we have left into her in the biggest and strongest team attack, ever!”

Everyone else looked at each other, and then back at her.

In moments, the Rangers were standing in a circle around June, all holding hands.  June was in the center, eyes closed and trying, desperately, to re-summon the Penumbra.  Most in the circle did not believe in this course of action--however, by the same token, they had absolutely nothing to lose on giving everything they had left in the attempt.

“Just concentrate on Junie!”  Faye called.  “Give her everything you have!”

Faye started glowing, first.  There was a flickering gold light around her, and as it flared into being, it started to flicker around June as well.  Senine was next, and as purple sparked around her, it joined June’s aura.  Ocatavian’s sky blue aura joined June’s, and then Cassie’s bright green, and then Avril’s sea green.  The black and red glow from Janice also surrounded June, along with the white and violet glow from Gemini, and the deep blue from Auggie.  Leah’s silver aura and Amber’s red aura joined June’s at almost the same time.

All as one, the Stellar Ranger’s auras grew, and as they did, June was surrounded by black and white fire.  When it faded, she was once again in her Penumbral outfit, and she was holding the Penumbra in hand.

June started to play a song.  It was not the typical Finale, it was something different, something that flowed from her and resonated with all of her friends.  While she played it, she thought about Faye’s boundless enthusiasm, Senine’s determination, Cassie’s compassion, Octavian’s love of drama, Janice’s dogged intelligence, Amber’s extremely grudging and yet extremely fierce affection, Gemini’s sometimes desperate confidence, Auggie’s clever and quick mind, Avril’s bravery despite her natural instinct to flee, and Leah’s constant hard work.  She played a song of all of her friends, not about their abilities in battle, but about them, their hopes, their fears, their virtues and most of all their light.

And the Penumbra gathered that light--not stripping it away, but accepting what was offered.  It was not just the powers of their stars, or the magic stored inside of them.  It was the power of them, together, just like what had brought Lanessa to such a desperate point up until now.  Because, despite how powerful a weapon the Penumbra was, and how skilled June was with it, she could not do it alone.

**_“Oh, how touching.”_ **  Lanessa laughed, and then glowed so brightly that she was more luminous than the sun, though her light gave off no heat.   **_“Unfortunately, you’re still half beaten and half dead.  It was a nice touch, but now you die.”_ **

An absolutely huge beam of blue energy fired down from her, right towards the Stellar Rangers.  June closed her eyes, and then dropped into a solo.

The beam that fired up from her and her friends flashed black and white, and between each of those, it flashed a different color of one of the Rangers.  The Dark Star Symphony smashed directly into Lanessa’s cataclysmic attack.

But Lanessa’s pressed back into it, and then started to slowly advance.

**_“You’re nothing!  The power of your friendship?  Did you really think it would do anything for you?  You’re just going to die marginally faster than--”_ **

Lanessa was cut off when a sword that was burning with a brilliant aura of plasma slammed into her chest and then detonated in a huge blast of stellar fire.

On the ground, next to Jordy’s Mom’s car, Hal collapsed, a weak smile on his face.

Lanessa screamed, and lost a small amount concentration.  Her devastating beam lost a bit of cohesion.

The Dark Star Symphony pushed it back, gaining momentum as it advanced inexorably on Lanessa de Vran Sie.

**_“I will render your planet to cinders!  I’ll kill all of you, and everyone you care about!  If it takes a year or if it takes a thousand years I’ll ruin you, June Hespia, I’ll destroy everything you’ve ever--”_ **

The beam consumed Lanessa, and then shot past her, the blast of concentrated magic firing off into space, and vanishing.

June’s Penumbral form faded, along with the Penumbra.  The glowing auras around the other Rangers faded.

June looked up at the sky, and then glanced quickly around.  She waited to see Lanessa suddenly appear, and felt her throat, as if afraid fingers would appear around it at any moment.

No further attack came, and June found herself falling to her knees and crying.  The others all did the same thing, and then they all, as one, grabbed each other, laughing with relief and sobbing with grief and exhaustion.

They sat there, too tired to move and too full of life, until Julius brought the van around and carried them all into it, one by one.  They fell asleep in there, in a pile on the seats, in front of the Vember house, and while they did not all sleep well, when they woke up, it was a lovely, peaceful day.

 

*****

 

Three days later, the Despair Hunters arrived.  There were four of them, two of the same species as Stellos had been, vaguely reptilian and covered in bony plates, which June now learned were called Dracon.  One was an Arachon, the same species as Lada and Wreqluze, and the last was a tall, white-furred, horned person who June learned was a Frostian, the native species of the Kingdom of Frost.

All of those names were, of course, the human words for them, as their native languages were not terrible suited for human throats.  June had spent a few days trying to say the Frostian word for Frostian and had managed to give herself a very sore throat.

Their time on Earth was something of a hazy memory for June.  Their leader, a stout dracon with sandy colored plates and four yellow eyes named Denlos, had given the planet a cursory scan, and had come to the conclusion that there was no trace left of Lanessa de Vran Sie, and that the Stellar Rangers had managed to fully defeat her.

He did not believe, however, that the power of friendship had had anything to do with it.

They had combed the wreckage of the Tower, and deemed that the local rangers needed a new base of operations.  Apparently, a new tower was on the way, though it could be years before it arrived, as it had to be built to Earth specifications.  For now, a team of Ranger architects was rebuilding and reinforcing the old hospital, turning it from a wrecked place of healing to their temporary headquarters.  It was nowhere near as good in any regard as the Tower had been, but the Rangers did not have many options to the contrary.

Where they had fought with Lanessa--in the park, at the bus stop, and all around what was now Solar City Stellar Ranger HQ, Blue Stars of Mourning had begun to grow.  Firina, the arachon, had explained to June that places that touched the corrupted light of Despair tended to grow them.  They did not completely understand why, but, the flowers were harmless in and of themselves.

Leah had been appointed “Probationary Ranger General of Solar City”.  She was not quite a Senior Ranger, and she had yet to actually learn to use the bulk of her powers, but, for most intents and purposes, she now had her father’s job.

It was a month since the complete and total defeat of Lanessa de Vran Sie, and also, thus, the week before Christmas.  The Despair Hunters would be, finally, going back to their home base, today, but, first, there was the matter of a ceremony to attend.

Before that, however, June had an extremely important appointment to keep.

 

June sat in the very same haircut place she had been in at the beginning of the school year.  At her feet were four bulging bags of Christmas gifts that she had purchased for all of her friends.  June’s family had never really done Christmas, before, so she was kind of excited to finally see what all the fuss was about, and Vincent Day’s money had been instrumental in her buying just the presents she had wanted to make her friends’ Christmas as ideal as it could be.

This place was packed, and June had been sitting here for about half an hour.  She had been shopping with Avril, who had gone off to grab some food and a table for them while June dealt with this, her biggest obstacle in the entire year.

“June?”  The woman behind the counter asked.  June stood up and walked over to her, nodding.  She just barely recognized her as the woman who had cut her hair last year.

When the woman saw her, she had a brief expression of shock.  “Didn’t I cut your hair a while back?  I thought...”

“It grows really, really fast.”  June said as she was led to a chair, which she dropped her bags beside.

“You’re telling me!  How short you want it, sweetie?”

“Oh, just a pixie--”  June began, and then the hairdresser brushed her neck as she pulled her hair back.

June screamed and stood up.  One of the lights overhead suddenly burned out.

Everyone in the room turned and looked at June.  The hairdresser had taken a step back, and asked, “Oh, hon, is everything alright?  Sorry if I startled you.”

“N-no, just...just warn me if you’re going to touch my neck, okay?”  June sat back down.  “I...I had a bad experience.”

“Okay, hon, whatever you say.”

 

“Do you have any things like that?”  June asked at a small, two-person table in one far corner of the mall.  Her hair had been cut pretty much identically to how it had been cut just a few months ago, back when June had only barely heard of the Savage Stars, and had no idea who Lanessa or the last Crimson Knight were.

Avril nodded.  “Yes.  I feel...uneasy, with the concept of kissing someone.  Or...I guess, any sort of romantic involvement.  It was...very violating, to find out she had been using me like that.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to do anything like that for a long time.”  She looked down at her fish sandwich.  “However...it’s not as extreme a reaction as that.  At least, it’s not been triggered quite as often.”

“I just feel her fingers on my neck.  She...really liked choking people.  Really liked choking me.”  June shuddered.  “Faye tried to be a little adventurous and kiss me on the neck and I pushed her off the bed.”

“It’s going to take time, and it’s going to be difficult.”  Avril smiled at June.  “But, the therapist is actually coming, soon, so maybe that’ll help both of us.”

“Yeah, if we didn’t need it before, we definitely need it now.”  June said.  She started to eat her hamburger, when her phone buzzed.  She pulled it out, looked at the message, and turned in her seat.  She saw Janice, Faye, Auggie, and Cassie approaching from across the food court, all with smaller bundles of Christmas shopping.  Faye gave them a big wave, and then rushed over, eyes wide. 

“Oh, wow.”  Faye walked around June, and looked at her from every angle.  “Golly.  Golly golly gosh.”

June laughed, and smiled at her.  “So, you like it.”

“Uh-huh!”

“Looking good, Junie!”  Auggie pulled up a chair, sat next to June, and stole a fry from her.  June thwapped the back of her hand, but did not stop her.

“Thanks.  It feels good to get it.  There’s no crisis.  It’s...kind of a sign of peace in a really stupid way oh that felt dumb to say.”

Janice patted her on the back.  “It’s not dumb, I agree.  It’s like...if we see your hair’s all grown out, bad stuff’s going down.”

“It is...difficult to believe it’s completely over.”  Cassie stood nearby, her arms crossed over her chest.  “And also, to believe that all of our crises are over and done with.  But...It does look good on you, June.  I think we should endeavor to keep your hair cut for as long as possible.”

 

*****

 

At that very moment, in the basement of Stellar Ranger HQ, Prince Halloway Decembran sat in a cell.  It was a very nice cell--it had a private area for the bathroom, complete with a shower, books, a nice bed, a few changes of clothes, and a kitchenette. It could not be looked inside from other cells, even, only from the hall in front of it.

However, it was also bound in bars and brick and mortar infused with magic that made the magics of their captive less effective on them, and was secure enough to take a bomb blast with minimal damage, beyond that.

Either way, though, Hal had never made a single attempt to escape his gilded cage.  He was sitting on his bed, with a small message crystal in his hand.  He was very tempted to just destroy it right now and be done with it, but, something stayed his hand--whether it was a ghost of genuine affection, curiosity, or a need for closure, he could not say.

Hal heard someone approaching, and put the crystal back in his pocket.  He turned to the door, and saw Octy step into view, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Hello, Hal.”

“Octy!  Hey!  I’d invite you in, but, it’s a jail cell.”

“I just came to see how you were doing.”  Octy said.  “And to tell you that Jordy may be allowed to visit, soon.”

“Oh, nice.  Thanks.”

Octavian shrugged.  “Honestly, Hal, I’m not entirely certain why I’m here.”

“Well, I’m here until the Stellar Rangers can find someone from Bellesar to subject me to Bellesari law.  Or until my star kills me.  I think I have less time, than Senine does.  Maybe just another dozen years.  That’s what the Despair Hunters told me was my best case scenario.”  Hal looked down at his lap.  “If you figure out what it is, then I’ll be here until then.  I’m sorry, Octy, to you and June and Senine and Jordy and Grim.  To everyone who isn’t Lanessa.”

Octy nodded.  “Well, it’s a start.  Would you like me to spread your contrition?  I warn you that it may be waved off like a cough from a plagued bus patron.”

“Yeah, but...don’t push it.  I know they won’t accept it, that you won’t accept it.  I just want to do something to make it up for you, and live out my sentence.  However long either my life or sentence may be.”

“Well, you did save us, and the world.  However, you also have imperiled both us and the world.”  He turned to head back up the stairs.  “I suppose I shall return, later.  At the very least, you’ll be getting a mug of eggnog on Christmas.  You’ve done some very bad things, but I’m not a monster.”

Hal smiled.  “Yeah.  See you around, Octy.”

Octavian left, and Hal removed the crystal from his pocket.  When he was certain he was alone, he activated it.

An image of Lanessa appeared in the Crystal.  It said,  _ “My love.  I’m so sorry for using you as I did.  Understand that I had only the best in mind for everyone.  I do hope--” _

Hal stuffed the crystal under his pillow to drown out the sound.  He could not bring himself to destroy it, but, neither could he bear to listen to her voice even a moment longer.

 

*****

 

June felt very, very overdressed.

She was standing in a makeshift auditorium in the HQ, dressed in a fancy black dress, with nice shoes and some of her Mom’s best jewelry.  She was standing beside Avril, Auggie, Cassie, Gemini, Janice, Amber, And Faye, all of whom had not gotten changed from what they were wearing earlier in the day.

Denlos, leader of the Despair Hunters, stood before the junior rangers with his arms crossed behind his back.  He was dressed in a well tailored military uniform, somewhat reminiscent of the Hollow Heart uniform, though significantly more modern, both in tailoring and design, and it was also black and white rather than red and gold.

Beside him was Leah, dressed in a nice blouse and a nice skirt and moderate heels.  Leah was about a foot shorter and much less broad than he was.  She stepped forward and cleared her throat.  “I’m here today to give these brave junior rangers an honor that they should have received a long ago.  For bravery against a grandchild of Despair, I present to all of you your status as fully fledged Stellar Rangers.  Stellar Rangers, Vex, Vehement, Vital, Volca, Violet, Vandal, Volt, and Dark Star, please, step forward.  Wow, that’s a lot of V’s.”

They did as they were asked.  Leah gestured to Faye.  “Stellar Ranger Vex, you refused to give up, even when things were at their bleakest.  Do you accept your new title and responsibilities, even though they’re pretty much the same as your old ones?”

Faye giggled, and nodded.

“Stellar Ranger Volt.”  Leah gestured to Auggie.  “You managed to come up with a plan that involved playing keep-away with an incredibly powerful eldritch monster.  Do you accept your new title and responsibilities?”

“Yep!”

“Stellar Ranger Violet.”  Leah addressed Gemini.  “You’ve more than made up for your past crimes.  You saved my father’s soul.  Do you accept?”

“Yes, and...”  Gemini took a deep breath.  She looked to the audience, which consisted of the other Despair Hunters, Senine, and Octy.  “...I’m sorry.”  She looked towards Auggie.  “For everything.  I am so, so sorry.”

Auggie’s eyes were wide.  She mouthed “thank you”.

“Stellar Ranger Vehement.”  Leah moved to Avril.  “No matter how badly things went, you never ever hesitated to go toe to toe with Lanessa--and you managed to block a flurry that the world’s best fencer couldn’t block, fully rested, while you could barely move.  Do you accept?”

Avril nodded.  “I do.”

“Moving on!  Stellar Ranger Volca.  You managed to unravel Lanessa’s identity, even when all your teammates shouted you down.  Also, I hear the time you launched Amber and Auggie across the battlefield was pretty funny.  Do you accept?”

Janice let out a snort of laughter, and nodded.

“Stellar Ranger Vital, you keep everyone alive, and that’s not a flashy or dramatic thing, but you did so while under direct fire from Lanessa.  Without you, she would have worn the team down long before the point where you were able to beat her.  Do you accept?”

“Of course.”  Cassie said with a nod.

“Stellar Ranger Vandal!  You shattered Lanessa’s staff--not just chipped parts of it, like, actually shattered it into pieces.  And you shot her in the eye.  Do you accept.”

Amber smiled.  “Like, duh.”

“And, last but not least, Stellar Ranger Dark Star.”

Before Leah could continue, Senine shouted, “Woohoo!”  from the audience.

“Ahem!  Stellar Ranger Dark Star.  You had to make a hard decision, and then, you were able to lead your team to reversing it.  You’ve shown a lot of progress, June, and I think Dad, well, Dad would love to see who you’ve become.  Do you accept?”

June had tears in her eyes when she smiled, and nodded.

Denlos spoke up, then, with a loud, booming voice said,  “And so it has been witnessed, by a Senior Ranger.”  His anatomy did not allow him to smile, but the translation spell that translated this sort of thing for them told June that he was definitely grinning.  “Congratulations, ladies.  You’ve done the entire Ranger Corps proud.”

Stellar Ranger Dark Star was very suddenly hugged around the chest by Stellar Ranger Vex.  She laughed as Faye picked her up and twirled her around, and June laughed and smiled and, at last for a moment, allowed herself to live in that single, joyful, happy feeling.

 

*****

 

June Hespia did not go to middle school graduation, also known as the Commencement Ceremony.  It was late Spring, and she sat on a bench in the courtyard of the Solar City Stellar Ranger HQ, which they had yet to give a snappy title.  She held a Blue Star of Mourning in one hand, giving it an idle look.

“Wow, so it looks like our fearless leader’s playing hookie, too.”  Gemini sat down next to her.  “I thought I was the only one skipping it.”

June shook her head.  “No.  They insisted on giving everyone those stupid medal things.  I didn’t want to scream when they touched my neck by accident and launch Mr. Graham across the stage.  Why aren’t you going?”

“Because I’m happy with being valedictorian--or tied for it with Cassie and Jan, anyway, but I really, really do not want to give a speech.  Cassie and Jan are already each doing one, anyway.”

“And Cassie vetoed your speech.”

“That’s heresay.”

June laughed.  “I guess so.”

Gemini looked at the flower in June’s hand.  “Hey.  June.  There’s something...I should tell you.”

June gave her a bland look.  “This again?”

“I’m not hitting on you, it’s about.  Her.”

“Oh.”  June looked back down at the glowing flower.  “Yeah.  Her.”

“When I confronted her for the first time, back during that whole Hollow Heart thing...I put my scythe right through her, and used the Reaper’s Sight to try to see her death, and...and she didn’t have one.”

“....What does that mean?”

“It means one of two things, neither of which is mutually exclusive.”  Gemini looked up, at the orange sky of a midwestern sunset.  “Either, like she said, she’s not really alive, and thus, her ‘dying’ isn’t technically ‘death’, she’s just destroyed, or....”

Gemini did not need to finish that statement.

June looked down at the flower, and then, incinerated with with black and white flame.  “Well, if it’s the second, then we’ll be ready for her, next time.  We’ll be better prepared, and we’ll beat her again.”  June followed Gemini’s gaze, up into the sky.  “As many times as it takes.”

And so June made a vow, and for a time, her life was calm and peaceful.

Until the star fell.


	25. End of Series Special

June Hespia was lying in bed, guitar across her chest, idly plucking the strings.  It was the middle of the month of both her birth and her namesake, and a week after said birthday.  It was also the longest period of time in which June had been in Solar City without something horrible and dramatic happening.

She strummed the guitar, and smiled idly, just enjoying the stillness around her.  There were no big crises, no nemeses waiting in the wings to attack her, and no lurking threats to try to wrest her soul or its weaponized twin from her.

It was still several months before the star would fall and end this calm.

 

Stellar Ranger Dark Star Presents:  A Quiet Summer

 

Her door burst open, and Auggie walked in.  “Ugh!  She makes me so angry!”

June mis-strummed the guitar, sending a discordant chord into the air.  Auggie covered her ears and winced.  “Ugh, sorry Junie.  See what I mean?!  She makes me so angry I didn’t even knock.”

June sat up and put her guitar aside.  “It’s fine.  I didn’t shatter any lights this time, so, you know, progress.”

“It’s just...Gemini is infuriating!  She tells me she’s sorry, in front of everyone, and I thought, hey, maybe we can start being friends again!  Instead, she’s not even snarky at me anymore!  She just sort of ignores me!”  Auggie sighed.  “I just want to talk about her crush on me, you know?  She’s just going to keep ignoring me and hoping it just goes away!”

“Uh, what?”

“Oh, right!  She has a crush on me.  Apparently she wanted me to be her Octy.  But it took her like two and a half years to say she’s sorry!”  Auggie flopped back on the bed.  “And me being worried about this isn’t helping Amber at all with her ‘a Schumacher’s going to take you away’ fear.”

“But you’re also afraid of Gemini.”

Auggie nodded.  “Yeah, I’m afraid of Cassie, too, but the gut reaction is still there for Gemini.  Whenever she raises her voice, in anger?  I become just that scared girl who’s eager to please her, like I always was before.”

June frowned, and pulled her guitar back to her lap.  She idly strummed its strings.  “It’s hard to imagine you like that.”

“Yeah, I bet!  It wasn’t even all that long ago.”  Auggie looked over at June.  “When they weren’t shouting at me, I was like this.  But...more self conscious.  They liked to watch me run around and be happy and it was like...I was their pet.  And other times, they’d rapid-fire insult me, or chase me with sticks.”

“Holy crap, really?”

Auggie nodded.  “But, like, eventually they started to grow out of it, I think.  Cassie felt guilty for it, even though I never stood up for myself against them.  I think Gemini did, too, but instead of going easy on me...well, bad stuff happened.  And I want to talk to Gemini about all of this, without any big anguished declarations, you know?  I wanna be adult about this.”

“Right.”

“So, anyway, sorry for all the ranting, and for just sorta barging in on you.  What’re you up to?  Wanna hang out?”

“Yeah, sure.  I wasn’t really up to anything.  Mostly, I was just enjoying not worrying about anything, you know?  It’s been months, but it’s still really nice to just have time to not be super concerned about monsters and soldiers and stuff.”

“Oh, totally.  Wanna go see a movie?”

June’s eyes immediately brightened.  “Oh, sure!  Can we go see that new ghost movie?”

Auggie made a face.  “But I hear it’s really, really scary.  Why don’t we go to see that cartoon about the tap-dancing spider?”

It was June’s turn to make a face.  “But that’s a kid’s movie.”

“Oh no, Junie, a kid’s movie!  No one cares!  It looks fun and cute and I looked up some of the songs and they’re really catchy.”

“Well....”  June considered for a moment, idly strumming C.  “How about we see both?  We can watch your cartoon and then go watch the ghost movie.”

“Deal!  Don’t back out of it.  You’re gonna love it, Junie.”

June sighed.  “If you say so.”

 

The ghost movie was alright.  The scares were a bit obvious, the story was good but it also held absolutely no surprises, and the characters were entertaining but not sympathetic or complex.

June had absolutely loved the tap-dancing spider movie.  While waiting for the ghost movie to start, she had downloaded all the songs she could to her phone, and looked up the lyrics just so she knew every word.  She even sent herself the sheet music so she could try playing it, later.

“I think...my absolute fave was  _ The Firefly Flamenco _ .”  Auggie said as they walked home from the mall, back towards June’s apartment.  The summer sun had yet to set, though it was low in the sky.  “I just wanna dance it, you know?”

“Really?  I thought you would’ve liked that big techno sequence with the wasps.  Ummmm....”  June flipped through her phone.  “ _ Untz Untz Buzz Buzz _ .”

“Oh, yeah, that was neat, but I loved Lumiere’s voice, and those dance moves actually looked possible without having four feet.”

“That’s fair.  My favorite had to be  _ Throw Your Pinchers in the Air _ .  That scorpion really played a great guitar for someone who didn’t have fingers.”

“Plus, she was...weirdly hot.”

June made a relieved sound and looked over at Auggie.  “Okay, so it wasn’t just me.”

“God no, hon.  She was the most weirdly sexualized thing in that movie.”

“It’s a pretty cool song, music-wise, too.  I’m totally going to play it when I get home.”  She glanced over at Auggie.  “Do you want to stay over?”

“Sure.  I’ll text text Dad and Amber and let them know I’m there.”

 

When they arrived at the apartment, June ordered them a couple sandwiches, and then sat back on her bed, and worked on getting that scorpion song just right.

Auggie, meanwhile, took a portable game system and sat against the wall, on June’s bed, and played that.

June smiled as she played.  It had not been an exciting day, but it was fun, and she was spending time with one of her best friends, and that had been the important part.

 

*****

 

That very June--the month, not the girl--Faye and Amber sat at an ice cream store with Steve and Jacki.  They were still in their cheerleading uniforms, and glanced nervously around the restaurant as they waited.

Faye was poking at a sundae that was covered in literally all the toppings they had.  Amber had a strawberry milkshake she was occasionally sipping at.  Under the table, out of view, she held a metal spoon that she continually coiled and straightened.  Jacki had a banana split, and Steve had a chocolate chip cone.

“When’s she gonna get here?”  Jacki murmured, glancing at all entrances.  “I’m way too nervous.”

“She’ll be here!”  Faye said with a big smile.  “Bernadette’s never let us down!”

“Why did Lynneth have to move away?”  Steve grumbled.  “She could get us in no problem, she liked us.”

Faye and Amber gave each other a brief look.  Faye then shoveled the sundae into her mouth, causing mini peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, and sprinkles to fall onto a carefully arranged set of napkins below.  Amber just sipped her milkshake and tried not to make eye contact.

The door opened, and in stepped Bernadette.  She waved to the formerly junior high cheerleaders, and then moved to stand in line to order something.

Jacki made a frustrated noise.  “She’s taunting us.”

“She’s hungry!”  Faye said.  “Give her a minute, I’m sure it’ll all be fine.”

Faye’s phone buzzed, and she looked at what it was while she swallowed another mouthful of candy and ice cream.  She swallowed and said, “Aw!  Junie did more covers of that tap-dancing spider movie’s songs!”

“Like, she’s, like, obsessed?” Amber rolled her eyes.  “She’s seen that move, like, three times?”

“What,”  Jacki said, “that kid’s movie?”

“It’s really cute!  It’s about a spider who has too many legs, so she’s bad at dancing!  So she has to go through this whole kingdom full of musical bugs so so she can get some magic tap shoes that’ll dance for her!  But--”

“Okay, okay, don’t need the whole plot.”  Jacki said.

“It does look cute, though, Jacks.”

“It’s, like, okay?”  Amber shrugged.  “Auggie’s, like, been remixing the songs, like, a lot.”

Bernadette came to the table and sat at the end of it.  “Okay, so!  How’re you girls and guy doing, first of all.”  

“Stop taunting us!”  Jacki shouted, and then covered her mouth.  “Sorry.  I’ve been thinking about this all week.”

“Okay, okay.  First of all, there are four girls moving from JV to varsity, and I’ve put in a good word for all four of you.”  Bernadette took a sip of her rootbeer float.  “And they like me there, because I was Lynn’s right hand before she moved away.  And....”  She looked at Amber and winced.  “I’m sorry, sweetie.  I didn’t want to give them all good news and then give you bad news.  Everyone but you’s a sure thing.  You’re probably gonna be stuck as a relief cheerleader.  I tried really, really hard but...”

Amber gave her a stunned look.  “But, I...”

“So...we’re probably in, then?”  Jacki asked.  “I mean, we’re definitely in?”

“You’re probably in.  As long as you show up and do well at the tryouts, sure.  The only definite one in is Faye, and that’s because she’s so goddamn strong and agile and friendly.”

“But...”  Faye looked over at Amber.  “What about Amber?  She’s my co-captain.”

“Yeah, yeah that’s sad, but me and Steve--”

“Jacks...”  He poked her.  “You’re making her feel bad, again.”

“Oh.  Sorry, Amb-Lamb.”

Bernadette gave Amber a sympathetic look.  “I’m really sorry, hon.  I vouched for you a lot, but...Saanvi’s Anika’s little sister, and, well...”

“Well, like, they all remember me being, like, awful?  Is that, like, it?”

Bernadette nodded.  “I’m cool with you, but I got to know you, ‘cause Lynn vouched for you.  Everyone else just saw you as Beth and Val’s friend.  And, also...some of the others are side-eyeing how you two left your team high and dry for Astronomy Camp.  The only reason Faye’s not getting the same scrutiny is, like I said, she’s--”

“She’s, like, the best cheerleader?  And, like, I have, like, skill?  But, like, it’s not good enough?  Like, whatever.  Like...Saanvi’s pretty good.  Like.”  Amber looked down at her melting milkshake.  “She’s, like, nice or whatever.  I’ll just, like, sit in?  For, like, people who are sick? And, like...like.”

Faye hugged Amber.  She looked at Bernadette and said, “If Amber’s not going to be welcome, I’m not going, either!”

“Faye, if you cheer, you can get us to at least State.  Heck, you could get us Nationals!”

“Well, Amber’s my team member!  If she can’t be on the team, I don’t wanna be on it.”

“Like...you should, like, try out, still?  Don’t, like...don’t like give up on, like, being a cheerleader because of me?”  Amber stared down at the table.  “You’re, like, the best cheerleader?  And I’m, like...like...good, but, like, not, like, great?  And, like...”  Amber sniffled.  “And, like, I guess, like, I deserve it?  Like....it’s, like, nothing I didn’t, like, bring it on myself.”

“No no no no no no no no!”  Faye hugged her tighter.  “No, you’re good!  You’re really good.  You were just confused, you’re good!”

“Oh, see?  This is why I was late.”  Bernadette sighed.  “I’ll talk to them some more, sweetie, but Anika’s dead set on getting Saanvi to be on the JV team.  My only advice is to have a really, really good audition, but...well.  I’m telling you the decisions right now, so....if that’s not an indication they’re fixed, I’m not sure what is, you know.”

“Just...like.  Are Val and Beth going to be alternates, too?  I’m not...not like going to be sitting with them, am I?”

Bernadette paused.  “I don’t think so, but...I honestly don’t know.  You might, if they try out.  Anika and Vera are in charge, with Lynn gone, but even with them, Miss Ferris says we need to give everyone who tries out a spot on the alternates.”

Amber’s face fell.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to hold out so you can be on the team?”

“...Like.  No.  I can.  I’ll just.”  Amber took out her phone.  “Like, sorry, I need to have a moment?”  She quickly moved outside, and then began to tap away at it.

Faye slumped down in her chair.  “I wish people were nice to her.  She tries really hard!  She always tried hard, even when she was mean!”

“...I got to admit, Faye.”  Bernadette said.  “It’s weird to see you defending her so much.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because she was the worst to you.”  She said.  “She was always so awful to you, even worse than the others.  Val and Beth aren’t good at being mean, but Amber was always A+ at being a bitch.”

“She just didn’t know better.”  Faye looked out the window, to where Amber was standing, tapping away at her phone and deliberately trying very hard not to cry.  “She’s so good, she’s such a wonderful person, and I think she always was!  Just hiding behind something awful, you know?  If no one on the team believes in Amber, I’ll believe in Amber, until everyone else sees she’s actually good.”

 

*****

 

June Hespia sat on the couch, listening to the soundtrack of the tap-dancing spider movie with big, noise cancelling headphones.  She had put them on a few hours earlier, when Julius and Leah had come in for lunch, and had then progressed to ‘lunch’.  She had one of Auggie’s portable consoles and was playing a brightly colored, very cheerful, and surprisingly dark RPG.  She had never really played many games, before, but this one very much had her interest--and only in part because everyone in it was super hot.

It was July, and life was still relatively anxiety-free.  Julius’s birthday was in just a few days, but she had already purchased a present, and it was, thankfully, Leah’s task to arrange the party.  The two biggest sources of angst were currently that Amber was, by some backroom dealings that June did not entirely understand, probably not going to be on the first string cheerleading team, and also, that Gemini was still avoiding Auggie.

June was honestly thankful for these small annoyances, however.  While she did not wish distress on any of her friends, she was glad that these were the things that seemed like the end of the world to them, and not the actual end of the world.

There were still a few months before the star would fall and end this peaceful time.

June’s phone buzzed, and she put down the game to lift it off her chest and take a look at it.  It was a text from Senine, and the body of it said, “Look to your left.”

June turned her head to the left, and saw that the front door was open a crack, and five pale fingers were wiggling at her through the gap the chain lock allowed.  June slipped her headphones down so that they were around her neck and got up.  When she got close, Senine retracted her hands and allowed June to open the door.

Despite having been dating Faye for a long while, especially by middle school standards, and despite a very attractive guitarist expressing the explicit desire be her additional girlfriend, even now, over the internet, June had never actually gotten over her crush on Senine, not completely.  So, when she was on the other side of the door with a grin, June wondered, briefly, if this was  _ that _ dream, again.

“Hey, June.  I knocked, but no one was answering.”  She walked inside, and June shut the door behind her.  “Sorry, I wasn’t interrupting anything, was I?”

“Nope!  Mostly just relaxing.”  June saw that there was a note on the fridge that Leah and Julius had gone out for groceries.  She had not even noticed them leave.  “What’s up?”

“Okay, so, I just wanted to go over something that’s come up.”  Senine cleared her throat.  “Namely, my seduction technique.”

June turned at Senine, as though she had not heard her right.  She was definitely wondering if she was in one of  _ those _ dreams, now.

“Not with you.”  Senine rolled her eyes.  “Down, girl.”

“...Oh.  Right, okay, of course!  Haha.”

“Anyway, I tried it on Avril, and she freaked, so I wanted to get the low down from you on what I did wrong and how I should say I’m sorry.”

June needed a moment to process that.  “Okay, so, you put the moves on Avril.”

“Yeah.”

“And she freaked out.”

“I literally just said that.”

June nodded.  “Okay, so, what did you do?”

“I kissed her?  That usually does it.  We were talking and I’d managed to get her to smile, so--”

“Oh.”  June sighed.  “Yeah okay.  So.  Avril’s kind of messed up from dating Lanessa.  She’s not comfortable being kissed, or dated, or anything romantic, yet.”

“...Oh, fuck.”  Senine leaned against the wall and sighed.  “Wow, that’s like literally the only time I’ve ever made a mistake, that’s humbling.”

“Yeah, we’ve talked about it a few times.  I think a lot of us probably have ‘things’ that trace back to her.”  June gave a gesture to the thick, wide choker she had around her neck, one that, these days, she never really went anywhere without..

“Okay, so, don’t hit on her, don’t kiss her, don’t ask her out.”  Senine slumped.  “Great.  Cool.  How do I apologize?”

“Do you want...a guide or something?”

“You know Avril better than anyone else.”  Senine said. 

“I do?”

Senine nodded.  “Yeah, she doesn’t talk to anyone about stuff that’s bothering her, except for you.”

“Oh.  Huh.  But she hangs out with you and Octy all the time.”

“In case you didn’t notice, she’s kind of quiet.”  Senine groaned.  “Sorry, sorry, I’m snapping a bit.  I’m just frustrated, and it’s so fucking stupid.  Usually, I just snap my fingers and there are makeouts.  I haven’t wanted to actually date anyone since Octy.  And...I guess it’s a blow to my ego, or something.”

“It’s not about you.  It’s her, and what happened to her.”  June gave Senine a weak smile.  “I know that doesn’t help.  I can’t really help, unfortunately.  I can just talk to her about it, later?”

“Naw, only if she talks to you.  I just wish I knew how to apologize?  I don’t really do it very often.”

“Try saying you’re sorry?”

“Noooo, it can’t be that easy.”  Senine grinned at June.  “That’s stupid, June.  Be smarter.”

“Oh, God, so this is what it’s like to be around you without anyone else to be snarky at.  I’m finally fair game.”

“You can’t get special treatment all the time, Double Trouble.”

“So I was getting special treatment?”

Senine shrugged.  “Well, first you were the new girl, and then you were the leader girl--and I mean like instantly, Short Fuse and Lime Time were more than ready to let you take charge.  And you were honestly always kind of cool.  You know, for a kid.”

“I was?”

“Totally.  Plus, you get the whole doomed thing better than anyone, I think.”  Senine moved back towards the door.  “Though, you’re going to be a freshman, so don’t expect me to be nice to you at school.  I like you, but I  _ am _ a Junior.”

“Gee, thanks, Senine.”

“No problem.”  Senine opened the door.  “Anyway, I’m going to take off.  Sorry to show up, blow up, and leave, but, I should probably go bother Avril at work and tell her I’m sorry.”

June grinned.  “Right.  Later.”

“Later.”

June sighed when she was sure that Senine was gone, and then caught herself sighing.  She was definitely having one of  _ those _ dreams, tonight.

 

*****

 

Faye sat down on the couch, while Janice paced in front of her.  “Okay, so, first of all, thanks for helping me out.”

“Sure!”  Faye said with a smile.  “It’s no problem!  What’s up?”

“Alright, so, usually when people say this, it’s usually a lie, you know?  It’s really about them.  But this is ACTUALLY about my friend, so...”  Amber took a deep breath.  “I need to ask for relationship advice, for a friend.”

“Oh!  Is it Gemini?”

“Faye!  When I say a friend, I’m trying to avoid saying who it is!”

“Oh, sorry!”  Faye gave her an apologetic grin.  “What’s the advice?”

“So, my friend has a crush--a real, real bad crush.  Only problem is, the person they have a crush on is already dating someone.  And for reasons I can’t get into, they can’t hate the person their crush is dating.”

“Oh!  Is it Auggie, and is the person she’s dating Amber, and Gemini can’t hate her because Amber saved her from Lanessa?”

“FAYE.”

“Oops.”

Janice sighed.  “Yes, it’s all of that.  But I wasn’t supposed to say any of it!”

“You didn’t, I did!”

She could not argue with that logic.  “Anyway, Gemma’s freaking out!  She just keeps calling me and obsessing and that girl really just stays on one track, huh?”

“Yeah!”

“So she keeps asking me for advice and I don’t have any, really.  I’ve never dated anyone or ever really wanted to date someone who wasn’t, you know, a celebrity crush.  But you’ve been dating June for a while!  And I can’t tell Cassie this because Cassie will definitely tell either Auggie or let Gemma know she knows or both.”

“Wow!”  Faye said.  “You’ve never wanted to date anyone?”

“Uh-uh, this is about the friend who we both know’s Gemini, not me.”  Janice sat down in a chair with a huff.  “I just don’t know what to tell her?  Girl’s honestly miserable.”

“That’s really bad!  But...you could suggest that poly thing that Destiny was talking about!  Auggie’s really open, she might be willing!”  Faye thought about that for a moment.  “Oh, wait, but, Amber maybe not.  She’s really worried a Schumacher’s going to steal Auggie from her.”

“Yeah, see?  I don’t have anything to tell her!  It’s frustrating, you know?”

“Hmmmmmm....”  Faye tried to think, but nothing seemed to come to mind.  “Okay, I think the best thing is just for Gemi--I mean your friend--to be honest with Auggie and tell her how she feels!  I know Auggie’s been really really anxious about it, too!”

“Okay.  Yeah, totally, I’ll tell her as soon as I can.  It’s not much but honestly, I’m not sure there’s gonna be some magic solution if I ask more people.”

“So, what do you want?”

Janice gave her a questioning look.  “What do you mean?”

“Well, we know what Gemini wants, but what do you want?  Do you want a girlfriend?  Or boyfriend, because you’re bi, right?”

“Right.  And.  I don’t know?”  Janice frowned.  “I haven’t really thought about it.  Mostly I just wanna solve mysteries, play drums, and do sports.  I’m like if Fred and Velma had a kid.”

“Well, do you just wanna do that?  Because that’s fine!  Do whatever makes you happy!”

“I don’t....I guess I don’t really know what makes me happy?”  Janice felt kind of stunned.  “Am I happy?”

“I hope so!”

“Ugh, I’m probably overthinking it.”  Janice groaned and slumped back against the chair.  “This sucks.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to give you a crisis!”

“It’s not a crisis it’s just...it’s not hard to feel like something’s missing?  Maybe it’s the band, or maybe it’s...”  Janice thought of something, and then stopped.  “Huh.  I dunno, it’s not important.”

“Well...maybe you could make music with Junie!”  Faye offered.  “You can play the drums and Junie can play guitar and Gemini and Cassie sing!  Maybe you could even get Senine to play keyboard!”

Janice gave her a questioning look.  “Senine plays keyboard?”

“Well, she plays piano.  She doesn’t do it much.  She only ever played at holidays, when Mr. Vember--”  Faye’s face twitched for a moment, almost forcing a frown.  “--When he’d ask her, I mean.”

Janice got up and sat next to Faye, and Faye immediately hugged her.  “It’s okay, Faye, we all miss him.”

“He helped me so much, and now...I forget he’s gone sometimes?  For just a second.  And then it comes back.  He was more like a dad than my real dad was.”  Faye sniffled.

“Hey!  You wanna go get some flowers and go by his memorial?  While the weather’s still good?”

Faye smiled, and nodded.  She wiped some tears from her eyes.  “Yeah.  Yeah, I’d like that.”

 

******

 

It was August, and in just a scant few hours, June Hespia would be going to Auggie’s birthday party.  In a few weeks, her freshman year of high school would begin a couple months, a star would fall on Solar City.

Right now, however, she was sitting at her computer, reviewing a file that Auggie had sent her, before she headed over.  It was a few tracks that she had mixed, just Janice and June jamming for a few hours.  Auggie had gone over it with her sound software--a thing she had been ecstatic to finally use--and returned a track of best moments, as well as some remixes, and the entire file, cleaned up.

She was wearing a shirt with a certain cartoon scorpion on it, and the phrase, ‘Just a Pinch’, which was, of course, her famous line from the movie, which June was planning to get on DVD in October, when it finally came out.

None of the situations from earlier in the summer had been resolved.  Gemini was still avoiding Auggie, which was going to make the fact that she was going to the party a bit more awkward.  Janice was suddenly a lot more thoughtful and introspective, and Faye was pretty sure that it was her fault.  Senine had apologized to Avril, and they had hung out, but there was now an odd tension between them.  Amber was still not first string on the cheerleading team.

Still, though, June had high hopes for the future, despite that nagging feeling whenever she looked into the sky, and the moments where she would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming about something she did not remember, but was also positive she knew the subject of.

She was hopeful despite the anxiety that filled her when she saw a particular shade of blue, which had now sprouted in patches all over town, and did not seem to leave forever regardless of how much she burned them.  She was hopeful despite that need she had to check and make sure her room was empty, every time she went to bed, or the way she sometimes sent shivers of panic down her own spine when putting on her choker, or cinching it too tightly.

She had high hopes for the future, blissfully unaware that, in just a couple more months, a star would fall.


End file.
